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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829051">Becoming a Master</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissFirebright/pseuds/LittleMissFirebright'>LittleMissFirebright</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Adventure, Anime violence and T rated descriptions of violence, Battle Scenes, Character Growth, Characters Turned Into Pokemon, Does NOT contain: sexual content - drug abuse - gratuitous swearing, Epic Battles, Friendship, Humor, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, POV Multiple, POV Original Character, Pokemon Battles, Pokemon Journey, Pokemon Training, Redemption, Sarcasm, Transformation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:14:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>95,352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissFirebright/pseuds/LittleMissFirebright</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three hundred years ago, Indigo's world burned to ashes. In his last battle he fought the evil trying to destroy everything he loved, and lost. All Indigo wanted was to die. As if it were that easy. Cursed and exiled to the future, the only way to return to his time was to learn the meaning of strength and caring. As if that wasn't cryptic enough, he had to do so as a Lucario. Stupid destiny.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Burning Skies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I own nothing, and have no rights. Welcome to Fanfiction! ^.^<br/>**For AO3** This is a crosspost from Fanfic. I'll be posting here bit by bit, but the up-to-date version can be found on my Fanfic profile. (Over 50 chapters available)</p><p>Author's Note:<br/>As some of you know, this is a rewrite of a very old fanfiction from 2011. The first version was nearly complete, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it, because by the end my writing was almost publication worthy, and the beginning was newbie trash. It sat alone for a few years, and in mid 2016 I decided to rewrite the entire story from scratch. It has taken a while, but I don't regret the extra effort. I needed practical experience, and I did like the story itself, even if the writing was no longer up to my standards.<br/>That practice has paid off.<br/>No story is perfect, but experience has raised this story quality to a level I've deemed acceptable enough to post. One day I will be a real author, and my practice writing this story will be the reason for it.<br/>For those who read the original, the story lines are the same. There are minor changes, but I did my best to stay true to the original structure. Feel free to ask questions, or just sit back and enjoy the new version.<br/>This story is rated T for some instances of violence and emotional trauma. I like writing battles, which is a large part of the reason I chose to play in this universe. There is no sexually explicit content, no drug or alcohol abuse, or even swearing. (Hell is used descriptively like three times.)<br/>That's all I have to say for now. Thank you for reading.<br/>~Little Miss Firebright</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>The sky burned.</p><p>An inferno of flames engulfed everything he knew and held dear, yet all he could see was the sky above, stained crimson by firelight. He didn't need to look at the burning buildings of his childhood home, or at the familiar people fleeing the town which had so quickly become a crematorium. He knew they were there. He looked at the sky instead, thoughts searing in his mind.</p><p>They said that when a man died, his life played in his mind, showing all the good and bad he had accomplished in his time on Earth. The life he saw at that moment filled him with despair. Such a monster he had been. Good intentions could never wipe out all the evils he had committed. All the mistakes he'd made. He had quite a bit to answer for.</p><p>Indigo Nightwalker looked at the sky, and realized this was his reward.</p><p>His mistakes scorched through his mind, blackening his happy memories with branding scars. He wished Riza hadn't been a target, and he hadn't been a fool. They could have lived a simple, happy, uncomplicated life, far from death and bloodshed. He could have been Indigo, and she could have been Riza. The Nightwalker and the Queen of Darkness would have been nothing more than a bad dream.</p><p>That was what he had really been fighting for. Not for kingdoms, or good, or even for power. It had always been her – just her.</p><p>And he had lost her, as surely as his own life was nearing its end. People ran past him without even seeming to notice the fallen boy bleeding out in the middle of the street. Indigo didn't mind. His hand found the source of the blood loss at his side, coming away crimson and warm. He laughed quietly, enjoying the irony in a strange way.</p><p>It was the site of the stab wound killing him slowly. Ironic that <em>her</em> hand was the one which had dealt the fatal blow. Fitting, almost. He probably deserved it.</p><p>He couldn't stand anymore. There was nothing to do but wait. He found he didn't mind, oddly enough. Death was easier than facing the consequences of his decisions.</p><p>A boot came to rest by the side of his head, and Indigo made an effort to see the face that went with it. His muscles didn't want to obey. He looked anyways, turning his head slightly to the right. Indigo wasn't surprised to see the one man he never wanted to see again. Why <em>should</em> the universe reward him?</p><p>His eyes were as black as pitch, and yet they seemed to shine with victory. Perhaps it was merely the reflection of the flames he had ignited that made those eyes gleam. Maybe it was the screams haunting the red night that brought an expression of serenity to his handsome face. Doctor Camellia smiled, a cruel, deliberate thing, as he took in Indigo's predicament.</p><p>"Well now," he said thoughtfully, ignoring the destruction around him. "Isn't this fortunate?" The roar of a Charizard echoed through the streets, as a winged shadow burst over them, spraying deadly flames onto already burning structures. Somewhere, a child was wailing.</p><p>Disgust filled Indigo's heart at the sight of Doctor Camellia's bone-pale skin, contrasted sharply by his midnight-black hair. It was a face he'd learned to hate even more than himself.</p><p>"You should really…consider a tan," he managed to bite out through his terrible tiredness, surprising himself with his defiance. Apparently Indigo really <em>would</em> be sarcastic until the end. "People will mistake you for a vampire looking like that."</p><p>The man 'tsked' disapprovingly. "Is that any way to talk to your murderer? I expect better from you, Nightwalker."</p><p>"Then again," Indigo continued, considering the matter. "You probably can't tan. I bet you just look like a ripe tomato if you venture out from your cave. I honestly would pay to see <em>that</em>-"</p><p>His words broke off, replaced by a strangled gasp as Doctor Camellia's boot ground purposefully into the stab wound in his abdomen. Red-hot sparks streaked through his mind. His vision went dark at the edges. Indigo gasped for air at the agony of it.</p><p>"Save your words," his enemy advised, black eyes soft and gloating. "You don't have much time." He looked at the burning city as if it were a beautiful sunset. "You did your absolute best, I'm sure. None of it matters now. Your love has surely fled the city by now, your allies scattered to the wind. There is no one to save you. And my favorite part – you'll live just long enough to see everything you love burn to ashes. Your story is finished, forever, Indigo Nightwalker."</p><p>"And here I was hoping for a sequel. I wonder if they'll give my money back at the door," Indigo wondered out loud, viciously refusing to take the conversation seriously in his last, petty revenge.</p><p>He was right though. Indigo had <em>failed</em>. Failed so completely it was hard to think about. How had things gone so wrong?</p><p>Maybe it had been a mistake, trying to control Entei. He had practically given the legend to his enemy after all. His biggest regret was leaving Riza behind. She would have to continue the fight alone.</p><p>"Do you want to know my secret?" Doctor Camellia asked, sitting cross-legged on the ground as though the city weren't burning around them. "I confess, I've somewhat missed my chance to monologue. It almost seems too late at this point. Better late than never I suppose."</p><p>"You're actually a woman?" Indigo guessed, his voice weak. The blackness edged farther and farther at the corners of his eyes. He wished he had someone he actually liked by his side, at the end. "I find myself unsurprised."</p><p>"My name," Doctor Camellia said simply, ignoring his snarkiness entirely, "Is Tero Akkarin."</p><p>It was amazing how easily the pieces fit into place with that one small piece of information. Everything Doctor Camellia had done, everything he'd sworn to accomplish, made perfect, grotesque sense. His real name changed everything.</p><p>It was so perfect, Indigo was a little ashamed for not having seen it sooner. The puzzle was complete.</p><p>"Hey," Indigo called as Tero stood, turning his back on him easily. "I have…a <em>favor</em> to ask!"</p><p>The monster looked back, raising an eyebrow at the strange request. Indigo fought the blackness, struggling to stay awake for just a moment longer. "Promise me," he gasped, his voice harsh. "Promise…you won't hurt her anymore. You got what you wanted. Leave Riza<em> alone</em>. There is no reason to kill her now."</p><p>"Oh, Indigo," Tero sighed, crouching down so he could be heard more easily. "I'm going to cut her fingers off one by one when I find her. I'll crush her eyes and burn her flesh until even you wouldn't recognize that pretty face anymore. I plan to torture Riza Calariam until she doesn't even remember her own name, much less yours. And I'm going to do it for no reason, except to make you suffer more in your last moments on Earth."</p><p>He stood smoothly while Indigo gaped on the ground, sheer horror making his mind run cold. By the time he found his voice, Tero Akkarin, better known as Doctor Camellia, was walking at an unhurried pace down the wide dirt street, while civilians burned and buildings collapsed around him. "Monster," Indigo gasped out, as his vision narrowed to nearly nothing. The Charizard made another pass at his hometown, igniting everything that moved. Somewhere, far off, Indigo heard the unmistakable roar of Entei.</p><p>"You <em>MONSTER</em>!" he howled, unable to express his fury with anything stronger than a scream.</p><p>His last moment came then, with his heart drowning in grief and guilt, as his home burned all around him.</p><p>~o~</p><p>The fires burned well into the night. Most of the inhabitants of Karraket were long gone, fleeing the blaze and the wrath of Entei. What was left over was a scorched husk of a town, blackened timbers glowing the sullen, shifting red of coals, while fires still raged wherever wood remained. Only one being moved through the wide stone streets, heedless of the destruction. A cool mist swirled around it, a welcome relief to the crackling air. Steam hissed wherever it touched the scorching earth.</p><p>Cold blue eyes regarded the body in the middle of the street. The fires had not touched the boy in question, thanks to the wide road. Half his face was red and heat cracked, his hair a blue so dark it looked black in the night. He had died with an expression of frustration etched stubbornly on his strong features.</p><p>Suicune stood over the boy for a time, simply watching. An icy cool wind danced around its mane, soothing rather than aggravating the shimmering coals of the city. The cries of Entei had long faded from the air, as the King of Fire left the town to burn.</p><p>At last, Suicune threw its head back, howling a song which spoke of ice and clear water. Wind rushed from the north, and rain pattered down on the shattered city and the body of the boy. Steam hissed from the ruins. Cold drops ran down his face almost like tears. The heavens opened, and the fires retreated, washing the blood from the streets.</p><p>Suicune lowered its head, meeting the gaze of the woman who stood over the boy's body. She alone seemed to be untouched by the flames. Long ochre hair framed a solemn face better suited to laughter, her eyes as clear a blue as Suicune's own. Her dress didn't move the same direction as the wind.</p><p>She didn't say a single word, as the cold rain passed through her. Silence reigned as the deluge turned the gutters into streams. She closed her eyes as though making a desperate wish.</p><p>The woman disappeared, leaving Suicune with the boy once more.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Thunder boomed overhead. The rafters creaked, dust and dried herbs drifting down like snow. The old woman swore loudly and creatively, stuffing materials and books into her already too-large pack.</p><p>She was by no means ancient. In fact, she was only in her forties. But her once vibrant pink hair had faded to a pale imitation of its former glory, and deep, disapproving lines made her appear prematurely aged. Her hands were a mess of veins and wrinkles, with fingernails like stone. She might not have appeared so old if she smiled, but her expression was rigid, a permanent grimace of irritation etched onto her face.</p><p>Kaya Acadia was not a pleasant person. Anyone who had visited her for a remedy or a treatment could attest to that. But they kept coming, because she was the best at what she did.</p><p>And they would always come. Assuming anyone had lived through the night.</p><p>The rain had cleared some of the black smog in the air of Karraket, but Kaya cursed it anyways. She couldn't leave the house tonight. Her daughter's condition was bad, and their open cart was out of the question. At least there was little danger of the fires spreading in the sudden storm.</p><p>She was forced to stay, when most of the other inhabitants had fled. Luckily for all involved, Kaya's clinic was on the boundary of town, and had managed to avoid the flames. The old woman was taking no chances, however. All her valuables, and quite a few less-valuable trinkets made their way into her oversized bag, ready to be whisked away at the slightest hint of their enemies' return.</p><p>"Curse that stupid boy," she hissed, stuffing a bundle of payapa leaves violently into her pack. "All his fault," she muttered under her breath, "-couldn't leave well enough alone. Just had to try and be a hero, and look where it got him? Bravery runs in the entire family, and that's why they're all dead. Not like me, and my little clan of cowards. We'll survive long after the heroes die!"</p><p>Her rant was interrupted by the shutters flying open. Cold wind howled through the frame, scattering papers and knocking glass jars to the floor. Kaya swore again, and this time it was so colorful she felt a little vindicated. She struggled to grab the edges of the flapping shutters.</p><p>That was when she saw the woman standing in the rain. Kaya's heart nearly stopped in her chest, meeting those cold blue eyes.</p><p>
  <em>It was impossible! </em>
</p><p>She limped to the door, throwing it open to the storm. Wind howled with savage joy around her, but she didn't pause.</p><p>There was a body on her doorstep. Rain had plastered his hair down against his forehead, but his features were as recognizable as they were painfully reminiscent. Kaya's heart twisted with pain. She looked back out at the storm, but the woman from before was gone. Suicune stood where she had been, coldly beautiful despite the rain.</p><p>"I can't help him!" Kaya shouted angrily, despite the fact that a god stood before her. She rarely got the chance to scream at all-powerful beings. She didn't intend to let the chance go to waste. Her emotions were raw; more because of the woman who had reminded her of the past than the corpse at her feet. "He's beyond human help! I can't save him, do you understand? What's more, this <em>traitor</em> doesn't deserve to live!"</p><p>Suicune simply looked at her. Only its mane moved, flowing serenely against the wind.</p><p>"I wouldn't help him even if he were alive!" Kaya continued stubbornly. "Do you know what this boy has done? This whole disaster is his fault! It's his <em>fault</em>, and you can't shame me into thinking otherwise!"</p><p>The rain pattered down, and Suicune turned to walk away. Kaya fell to her knees, holding her arms tight across her stomach. "I won't be held responsible for this," she whispered angrily. "If this backfires, I will not hear of it being my fault!"</p><p>She brought the boy inside, closing the door against the storm, and the woman she had seen earlier. Kaya muttered to herself as she dragged Indigo to the middle of the room. She didn't bother being careful. "This won't work," she assured herself. "It really shouldn't anyways. I'll just have to bury him tomorrow, and invite Mazarine to his funeral. She'll probably cry, and we can all move on. That would be best."</p><p>"And anyways," she continued, prying up a dusty floorboard. "I'm not doing him any favors. Even if this <em>does</em>, by some slim chance work, he'll probably hate me for it." The thought cheered the sour woman greatly. She reached into the cubbyhole beneath the floor, and pulled out the only object within. It was a poké ball, rusty and discolored, held shut with miniature chains. Kaya took a tiny key from the chain around her neck, twisting it in the lock three times. The chains slithered to the ground, clanking with protest.</p><p>She took a deep breath to steady herself. It took some effort to turn the knob topping the antique. Flakes of rust coated her fingers as she struggled with it. Finally, the knob was off, and she tossed the sphere into the air. Scarlet light flashed through her house, freeing the creature within for the first time in nearly twenty years.</p><p>Cream-colored tails tipped with saffron whipped through the air as the light faded. The perfect fur of the demon was undiminished by the ages. It was hard to believe the Ninetales was older than Halladen itself, but it didn't seem so impossible when one looked into her scornful crimson eyes.</p><p>"<em>Kaya,</em>" the Ninetales greeted, her mellifluous voice echoing directly into the woman's mind. "<em>It's been quite some time. You've grown ugly.</em>"</p><p>"And you've grown as rude as your trainer once was," Kaya snapped irritably. "Nivalis!"</p><p>Amusement sparked in the pupiless eyes of the ancient pillar. "<em>Why have you released me, healer? Do you intend to inflict my wrath upon this world once more?</em>"</p><p>"Not yet I don't," Kaya said churlishly. She might not like the world, but she didn't intend to see it destroyed. As Nivalis had sworn to do, so long ago. "A mutual friend has requested a favor. Do you recognize the boy?"</p><p>Nivalis stepped daintily over the messy floor, peering curiously at the stubborn face below her. She didn't speak for a long time.</p><p>"<em>He looks like his father,</em>" she complained distastefully. "<em>I never liked him. It seems the boy has committed quite a few serious crimes. I can see the fog around the remnants of his soul…yes, there is darkness within him. He could have become a monster. He nearly did. I only wish I had been present before his death, to properly destroy him.</em>"</p><p>Kaya grimaced. "I thought you might say that." She took a deep breath, preparing herself. "In fact, I think you're absolutely right. Indigo should be forced to suffer. Death is too easy. Let him work for redemption. Layla has already given her blessing!"</p><p>Nivalis snapped her empty red eyes up to Kaya's face. She half-hoped the Ninetales would say it was impossible, and could not be done, but the expression those eyes took on could only be called glee. Kaya saw the vindictive joy her words had caused, and felt a little sick. Nivalis threw back her head and laughed.</p><p>"<em>It seems the old woman has some sense left in her after all!</em>" the Ninetales laughed. "<em>Yes…let the boy burn. He will live. But not here. He will be forced to exist with his pain until he understands the true nature of caring, and strength. Until then…he will never be able to return. What a wonderful idea!</em>"</p><p>Yes, Indigo might well hate her for this. Nivalis was famous after all.</p><p>Her former friend's Pokémon had cursed hundreds of souls. Each one was unique. It often drove her victims mad.</p><p>The chances he would succeed in breaking whatever curse she chose to lay were slim. But if he did manage it…</p><p>"<em>If the boy breaks my curse, only then will he be allowed a second chance to defeat his enemy,</em>" Nivalis crooned, as thunder cracked outside. "<em>If he fails, his soul is mine forever. A fitting fate for the traitor. I must thank you for allowing this, Kaya Acadia. I haven't had such fun in decades!</em>"</p><p>Her eyes burned with searing scarlet light, turning to the boy who had betrayed a kingdom.</p><p>Light shone around the corpse of Indigo Nightwalker, deepening the curling shadows of nine tails on the walls and ceiling. He shuddered once as if jolted with electricity, his lips parting in a silent scream as the light brightened, rising in the air as bubbles of shining luminescence from his skin.</p><p>He disappeared with a thundercrack, and Suicune howled a mournful song from the smoldering ruins of Karraket. The faint smell of citrus blossoms tinged the air where he had been.</p><p>The Ninetales threw back her head and laughed with utter exhilaration, and cruel, vindictive pleasure. Kaya turned her face away from the dark stain on her floor.</p><p>A second chance. How laughable. Even if he did return, what could he do to stop the King of Fire? It was ridiculous to think Indigo could ever be their salvation from an enemy who had forced a nation to its knees. If he was their one hope, Kaya thought savagely, they were all going to die.</p><p>Outside, their kingdom lay fallen. The only Princess had been forced to flee for her life, a legendary rampaged unchecked through their cities, and a living nightmare had risen to claim the throne of Halladen.</p><p>They needed a miracle. It seemed they'd been unlucky enough to get Indigo Nightwalker instead.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Future Winds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author's Note: I've noticed many people on this site have strong opinions about capitalizing Pokémon species. I’m choosing to do so following the fantasy capitonym grammar rules. (Which allows all species/attacks/titles to be capitalized to avoid confusion with normal words with different meanings. Snarl attack vs a normal snarl, Gloom vs gloom, ect, with non-word names also capital for consistency.) Specifics on what to capitalize are left to the author’s discretion under capitonym guidelines, as long as it’s consistent throughout the story.<br/>While I do take some artistic liberties with the game and anime mechanics, which will be outlined later, I do try to honor the source material. I chose to follow several mechanics which exist in the games, in order to give the story a clear set of rules, and to limit my characters properly.<br/>o<br/>Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokemon, but the voices in my head have excellent takeover plans.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>
  <em>Where am I?</em>
</p><p>A Pidgey called through the sun-dappled leaves. Indigo opened his eyes. He lay sprawled across a bed of moss, staring into a sky broken only by aspen branches. It smelled of summer rain.</p><p>The sky was blue. He was vaguely surprised, as if he were forgetting something. The thought nagged at him like a thorn. Why was the sky blue? The answer to the childish question seemed important.</p><p>Something was missing. He felt strange, disconnected from reality. The leaves whispered above, louder than he'd ever heard before, though the breeze was faint. The aching pain in his side faded rapidly, shrinking ever smaller until it was gone.</p><p>Indigo's eyes widened, finally noticing the bubbles of light rising serenely from a circle around him. Each shone with their own little halo, spiraling upwards into the dancing aspen leaves only to dissipate high above. Light surrounded him. It shone from his skin, and danced in the slight wind like faerie dust, utterly magical.</p><p>"Gah!" Indigo shrieked in a girly voice, brushing frantically at his glowing arm with one hand as though it were covered in germs. He was<em> fairly certain</em> he was not supposed to glow! His efforts were in vain, the little bubbles passing through his body as <em>he</em> weren't really there, silver and gold shimmering on his skin. It smelled like citrus blossoms.</p><p>The smell triggered his memory, and he jolted upright as he finally realized what was wrong. The haze of choking smoke was utterly and completely gone. The burning sky was <em>blue</em>!</p><p>He didn't know how much time had gone by. Or how on earth he was still alive, for that matter.</p><p>It was then a figure appeared through the growing light. The wispy form of a Ninetales stared at him evenly, her tails waving behind her. She looked as though she were made of white fire, completely translucent except for her burning crimson eyes.</p><p>"Where am I?" Indigo demanded. "Am I dead? Is Riza-"</p><p>"<em>The Princess lives</em>," the Ninetales said coldly, her voice echoing directly into his mind. Indigo jumped when she actually spoke back. "<em>You have more important things to worry about…</em>"</p><p>"There isn't anything more important!" Indigo insisted, struggling to stand. His legs wouldn't work, pinned to the circle of light. True worry set in when he realized he was stuck. "What's <em>happening</em>?"</p><p>"<em>A punishment</em>," the Ninetales declared, her fiery eyes somehow cold and devoid of mercy. "<em>You've been cursed, Indigo Nightwalker. I merely came to watch."</em></p><p>"Watch what?" Indigo said warily. He'd read about dark curses in the past. But surely this couldn't be the <em>same</em> Ninetales...</p><p>He didn't ask what he was being punished for. The dark shadows of his heart already knew the answer. It was the one thing he was certain of, when everything else was just a question.</p><p>The Ninetales' eyes gleamed brighter. "<em>Justice</em>!" she proclaimed, her voice a thunderclap against his senses.</p><p>Agony crashed over him. Bones snapped and creaked as his muscles surged, their changing shapes rippling the surface of his skin like boiling water. Every inch of him burned, in a pain so intense he couldn't breathe!</p><p>Ninetales watched with satisfaction as he contorted. Speaking when he could barely listen.</p><p>"<em>Normally my victims are briefly unconscious for the transformation. Your crimes demand a crueler fate. I would have let you burn for what you've done…but then, perhaps this is better. Your curse will be as long as your sins are black. Maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to learn the truth about human nature. Only then will you be permitted to fight Tero of the Burning Shadows once more, and regain all you've lost."</em></p><p>Indigo heard this through bone-cracking pain, and <em>didn't understand!</em> The silver and gold lights sang, rising faster as the smell of citrus blossoms grew stronger. He shouted, and the sound changed as he did, growing rougher and dark. Shooting pain stabbed at his hands, stronger than any before.</p><p>Indigo looked down in time to see steel spikes burst from the backs of his hands. His chest cracked, and he <em>felt</em> rather than saw the metal drive out of his skin. <em>What was happening to him?</em></p><p>The circle on the moss grew as bright as noonday, shooting a pillar of iridescence high into the blue sky above.</p><p><em>"Your curse will be this</em>," the Ninetales intoned. "<em>Until you learn the true meaning of strength and kindness, you will be trapped in this form and this time. Fail, and you will never be able to return home. Tero of the Burning Shadows will enslave your homeland and kill your precious love."</em></p><p>
  <em>"You've been given a small chance to set things right…assuming that a fool such as yourself is capable of breaking my curse. If you ever choose to give up on your quest, I will claim your soul for my own, and end your miserable existence. Know me as Nivalis, the White Nightmare, and the Bane of Sin. I am the only being capable of removing this curse from your soul!"</em>
</p><p>The light shattered from his body as if repelled. The Lucario who had once been Indigo stared blankly from his seat on the moss. "Wait," he called out, his new, rough voice surprising him. He was grateful he could speak at all. "This <em>time</em>? Where exactly am I? <em>What</em> am I? How can I possibly break a curse in time to help Riza?"</p><p>Nivalis laughed scornfully, baring white fangs. "<em>Don't worry about that. Time will not flow the same speed if you manage to break free. You will appear in your original time exactly when you need to, whether it takes you a single year or a millennia to escape from my curse. I'm sure you'll figure out the rest yourself!"</em></p><p>"I said <em>wait!</em>" Indigo snarled, the noise surprising him. He leapt for the Ninetales, but his legs were not responding correctly. The ghostly form dissipated into smoke, and Indigo fell flat on his face.</p><p>He sat up gingerly, holding his injured nose. The forest clearing was empty save himself. The situation sank in slowly over his disbelieving mind.</p><p>This was not a dream.</p><p>And worse, infinitely worse, Indigo was completely alone. He didn't even know where he was. He would have to accomplish this task entirely by himself.</p><p>Indigo slammed his fist into the earth. The resulting 'crack' surprised him with its force. He hit the ground again with more savagery. He felt no better. He realized his entire body was shuddering.</p><p>Kindness and strength. Just vague enough to mean practically anything. Lovely.</p><p>He clenched his new fist, still gleaming ever so faintly gold. He forced himself to gather his thoughts, taking a deep breath. Indigo stood, wobbling dangerously as he attempted to use his new muscles. He balanced carefully before he was able to find a position he could stand in. In the least, he was no longer in pain.</p><p>He was also no longer human. Words could not describe how strange it was.</p><p>Indigo didn't know what to do. He hadn't the faintest notion of where to <em>start</em>. It all seemed so unreal. As if he would wake up at any moment, and be back in time, right before his last mistake. He'd never wanted anything so badly in his life.</p><p>There was one, single ray of hope.</p><p>Indigo was imprisoned in another time, in a strange form, with no one to help him return home but himself.</p><p>But he was alive. And while he was alive, there was a chance he could set things right.</p><p>A second chance.</p><p>His mind calmed then, as the last flakes of light faded from his fur. He was standing easily now that he had stopped trying to hold a human posture.</p><p>He could do this. He only had to break a Ninetales' curse. How hard could it possibly be?</p><p>He found his resolve, and Indigo's blue human eyes bled into savage scarlet.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Princess Riza ran blindly through the night, branches snagging at her outstretched hands and the edges of her clothes, tearing skin and cloth alike. It wasn't that she didn't feel the pain. She did, in fact, and yet she found she could not stop running. And so the little stinging pains continued, as she put more and more distance between herself and the town burning on the horizon.</p><p>Her parents were dead. Her kingdom had been savaged. Tero Akkarin, as she knew his name to be, had taken control of Entei, and would soon take her country. She had been painted as a monster to her people. She knew she could never reclaim the throne alone, and yet there was no one who would support her after the events of the night. There were plenty of reasons for her to be crushed. Her tears could have come from any number of life-shattering turns of events.</p><p>And yet she cried for an entirely different reason. Princess Riza Calariam wept for the death of her best friend, the traitorous love of her life. She knew he didn't deserve her tears. Indigo had caused so much of this nightmare! He might have even killed her <em>parents </em>while driven mad by Entei's power!</p><p>She didn't believe it. She couldn't.</p><p>But Indigo was dead, and she would never know the truth. The face-changing witch had all but confirmed it, the last time they'd faced each other. His blood still on her blade!</p><p>Riza cried, and even though she would be killed if she was found, screamed out loud, her voice raw and filled with the agony of her soul. Her cry echoed through the thick branches of the Whispermist Forest. No one was around to answer. No one heard, save the Pokémon who held vigil through the long nights. Even these did not make a sound, merely watching her flight deeper and deeper into the woods.</p><p>Finally she could run no more. Riza fell to her knees, staining her pretty white dress, and sobbed into her hands. She had run from an inferno, but the clouds gathering in the distance lowered the temperature rapidly. The rain would be fortunate. It would also be too late. The air was cold on her heat-cracked skin.</p><p>She wasn't quite as alone as she thought. Eyes regarded the weeping girl from the shadows in the trees, their number growing slowly. The clouds broke over the sky above, and her little clearing flooded with moonlight, which caressed her bare arms. The wind seemed to sigh, brushing through the waves of her long golden hair. When she stood, it reached her waist. On her knees, hunched over in pain as she was, her hair made a shroud around her, touching the ground.</p><p>It would have made a pretty picture, the image of a girl weeping along in the midst of the ancient trees. It seemed as if nothing dared break the silence around her broken voice.</p><p>Mocking laughter shattered the peace, sounding purposefully through the trees. Riza's tears slowed, and she looked up with beautiful amethyst eyes. "Who's there?" she called, her voice faltering and cracked. She saw no one in the trees, save a few darting shadows. She jumped when the voice sounded right behind her.</p><p>"<em>Who's there?</em>" the cruel voice mocked in imitation. "<em>I'm all alone, so I'm crying like a child! Boohoo, someone save me!"</em> A chorus of laughter greeted this statement, as Riza whirled, finding the clearing empty save herself. She looked at the trees warily, her hand unconsciously moving to the sword tied on to the golden belt of her dress.</p><p>"<em>I can't<strong> believe</strong> that this is the fabled Princess of Halladen</em>," another voice sneered, seeming to come from everywhere at once. "<em>She's so weak! Look at that, she's actually got tears on her face!</em>"</p><p>"<em>I bet she's crying about the boy who was here a while back</em>. <em>That dark one, who dared to love her. I wonder if he's reached the gates of hell yet. I hear it's toasty this time of year." </em>This joke elicited more laughter, screeching and raucous. Anger touched Riza's eyes at the mention of Indigo.</p><p>"Show yourselves!" she commanded, wiping the tears from her pale cheeks. She drew her stolen sword with a metal song, the rippled blade gleaming blue in the moonlight.</p><p>"<em>Didn't you hear? The boy <strong>isn't </strong></em>dead. <em>From what I hear…he had the bad luck to run into Nivalis. Poor, poor Indigo, cursed for all eternity. Unless he can break free, Riza will never see him again. I don't know <strong>wha</strong>t he sees in her. Look at her, sniveling like a brat! Is she really the chosen one?</em>"</p><p>"Indigo lives?" Riza breathed, hardly daring to hope. "Are you certain?"</p><p><em>"It's either her, or the other girl</em>," the answer came, ignoring her entirely. "<em>Who can say for sure? This girl is the Queen though, no doubts there. We have our work cut out for us, making her strong enough to fight the King of Fire. I'm not certain it can done.</em>"</p><p>The shadows detached from the darkness as the voice spoke, oozing out of the night like a poison. Riza caught her breath as ghost Pokémon took shape around her, floating through the miasmic mist. She looked up, and more ghosts filled the air above her, shifting shadows that blocked out the moon. A Mismagius materialized in front of the Princess, her yellow eyes devouring her.</p><p>"<em>Or perhaps</em>," the Mismagius hissed, her breath as cold as death on Riza's skin. "<em>We should simply </em><strong><em>eat</em></strong><em> the girl, and be done with it!</em>" A chorus of murmuring assent whispered through the assembled ghosts.</p><p>Riza tried and failed to count them all. She had never seen so <em>many</em> ghosts before. There were species she didn't recognize among the usual Misdreavus and Gastly which haunted the forest traditionally. Grey-hooded specters looked out through masks of bone with a single scarlet eye, and grey-plated behemoths stood like statues in the sudden mist just on the fringes of her clearing. Doll-like ghosts laughed quietly through mouths sewn shut, near hovering blades and tiny stone golems. Blue candle flame burned coldly from the wicks of wax Pokémon with secretive smiles. Small wooden ghosts with childlike eyes peered at her through the others, and with a start, Riza realized some of the trees were watching her with crimson eyes.</p><p>She had never felt such a chill. Goosebumps broke out on her skin as blood rapidly drained from her face. The swirls etched into the skin of her arms and face bled as black as ink, writhing slightly under the surface as if alive.</p><p>But Riza Calariam was <em>nobody's</em> meal. She stood straight as the ghosts chattered amongst themselves, ignoring the graveyard chill and the swirling miasma. "<em>Silence</em>!" she shouted. To her slight astonishment, the ghosts obeyed. The Whispermist Forest became quiet and still, as every nightmarish ghost turned their attention to the former Princess of Halladen.</p><p>She felt a slight thrill at their unquestioning obedience, but quashed it quickly. "You," she commanded, turning to the Mismagius who had spoken of eating her. "What is your name?"</p><p><em>"Lilith</em>," the Mismagius hissed darkly, as though contemplating an attack.</p><p>"Lilith," Riza repeated, tasting the word. "What has happened to Indigo?"</p><p>"<em>Were you not listening?</em>" the Mismagius mocked. "<em>He is cursed. We all felt it. He has been sent to another time, where his morals will be tested. You can expect no help from him.</em>"</p><p>Hope blossomed in her chest. Riza didn't let it show on her face. "Why are you here? All of you? Why come to me?"</p><p><em>"Mistress,</em>" a Haunter spoke, floating forward. "<em>You may call me Sepira. We are here to help. You are the Queen of Night, our chosen one. Whether or not you are the chosen one of mankind matters little to us. We pledge our service to you, in your fight against the King of Fire.</em>"</p><p>"<em>Not so fast</em>," a Spiritomb rumbled in a deep baritone. "<em>She is just a little girl. A human no less, pampered and weak. Unsuited for the task.</em>"</p><p>"<em>Grave, you should not speak so</em>," the Haunter called Sepira snapped. "<em>See the darkness in her heart! She will make a fine queen.</em>" Arguments broke out all around, as ghosts took sides on the matter.</p><p>As they spoke, something hardened in Riza's heart. Her tears had long dried. She raised her gleaming sword, and sliced through her thick golden hair right at the base of her neck. The arguing Pokémon shut up. Riza flung the locks to the cold earth, taking advantage of the sudden lull to speak once more. Her head felt strangely light.</p><p>"Listen here," she snarled, the fury in her voice surprising even her. "As of today I am no longer the Princess of Halladen. My home has been taken from me, my friends killed, and I am <em>not</em> in the mood for your bickering. You want to eat me? Fine. All I ask is that you wait until my revenge is complete. Tero Akkarin has committed crimes that I cannot and <em>will not</em> ignore. The earth has run red with the blood of innocents, and I propose to add to it with his corpse. I don't care if you help me…just stay out of my way until the job is done!"</p><p>Silence reigned as hundreds of ghosts regarded the furious human girl in the center of the clearing. Her speech left her breathing deep, as she glared at each and every ghost who met her gaze. Lilith spoke first, her yellow eyes gleaming.</p><p>"<em>All hail the Queen</em>," she whispered sensually, a murmur which was taken up by every ghost, one by one.</p><p>"Fine then," Riza said curtly, threading her blade through the double belt with too much force. "Where do we start?"</p><p>She wasn't surprised at all to hear the Pokémon speak. Tero Akkarin had saved her life, using his horrific science. Pokémon eggs had been used to create the medicine, and she had been able to hear them ever since.</p><p>There had been other effects as well. The dark swirls under her skin twisted, like living tattoos. Riza gritted her teeth, and buried her pain deep within her heart. Her furious whisper was meant for her ears alone.</p><p>"Indigo...get back here soon, so I can punish you myself!"</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sweet Irony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: Do I own Pokémon? I haven’t heard that question since the copyright wars…<br/></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>The first goal Indigo had to understand was strength.</p><p>Nivalis had been intentionally obscure about the hidden meaning of her challenge. She had spoken of human nature. How laughable…that she had turned him into a Lucario to learn how to be human! Indigo found he did not appreciate the joke.</p><p>But despite having the distinct and unsettling feeling he was grasping at mist in the shadows with his quest, when it came to strength, he knew of only one place to begin.</p><p>Indigo trained in battle, until his new limbs were as familiar to him as the ones he'd been born with. Deep in the mountains, until he no longer jumped at the words of Pokémon his new ears could translate. He felt disconnected from humanity in a way he'd never before experienced, even when he'd been committing crimes for the King of Fire. Many days he abandoned the idea of speaking altogether.</p><p>He grew strong on victories and losses against wild Pokémon and wandering trainers who strayed too far into the territory which quickly became known as his. As time went on, those losses came farther apart. He had found <em>power</em> in his new form, and with it came strength and stamina the likes of which he had never experienced as a human.</p><p>But by far the greatest perk of his curse was his eyes.</p><p>He'd fallen over from shock the first time he'd accidentally triggered the new ability. It immediately broke, and he'd spent <em>days</em> trying to replicate the fluke, only succeeding in giving himself headaches. But he forgot the tedious effort the moment he found the balance between mind and soul.</p><p>Because he had a second sight, revealing the life-force of the earth itself. Veins of silver light connected the earth to the trees, and even the wind. Living beings shone brilliant blue to his new eyes, beacons of emotion that could be seen in fog or darkness…or even through solid objects. The world spun into grey and blue, and he could see in every direction at once. He could even direct his sight in a single direction, and see for miles.</p><p>All Indigo had to do was close his eyes, and he could see <em>everything</em>.</p><p>But some lessons he learned the difficult way. Sometimes, it was better not to see.</p><p>It took over three months before he realized just how far in the future he'd been thrown. He'd been idly wandering the mountainous region he'd woken in, half-wondering if he'd ever find a city, when he was nearly crushed by a car.</p><p>His new reflexes saved him. Indigo had stepped onto the dirt road without thought, and only barely leapt from the path of the hulking metal monstrosity roaring around a blind curve. The driver yelled obscenities out the window as he hurtled away.</p><p>Shaken didn't come <em>close</em> to describing what Indigo felt. And now he'd had a glimpse, it seemed there were new horrors wherever he looked…</p><p>Trainers in strange clothing carried music in bits of plastic. Silver creations streaked across the dawn skies, belching clouds in their wake. Even the stars were dimmer than they had been at home. He hadn't thought anything of it, had barely even <em>noticed</em>, until he saw his first city since being cursed.</p><p>Lights shone from every corner and blazed from the windows of clean-cut homes. Neon signs glared from storefronts, and people stared at shining devices in their hands. The whole city seemed to be a beacon, the constant electrical pollution dimming the very heavens. People were <em>everywhere</em>, wearing odd fashions and hairstyle, their language similar, but littered with new words and slang. Metal vehicles spat poison into the air, and not one person noticed or cared.</p><p>Indigo had retreated to the forest on the mountainside, badly traumatized by the extreme changes to the world. No one seemed to be in fear either. It was as though the entire war he had devoted his life to fighting and his struggle to defeat an evil king had never even happened. It was as though he didn't exist. Like none of it had <em>ever</em> existed.</p><p>Like he was chasing the dream of a forgotten land, and a story no one remembered, its characters all long dead. Except, it seemed, for him.</p><p>It had taken a long time to get past. Indigo found he could only stave off the depression with one thing. He trained like his very existence depended on it, his mind focused on one thing, and one alone.</p><p>He would get stronger. He would break this curse, and return to the world he knew as home. Though he might be living in this time, he would never truly belong to it. He would <em>not</em> be staying. The thought brought him comfort.</p><p>Sometimes, trainers sought him out, intending to capture him. Indigo fought them all off, filled with the proud knowledge that only the strongest would be able to succeed. The more he won, the stronger the trainers who came for him became. This suited Indigo just fine.</p><p>One day, he told himself, he would meet a trainer who was truly the best. Surely that person could teach him strength beyond what he could learn by himself. And though he didn't particularly want to serve another person, if it meant returning to his reality, Indigo would do anything.</p><p>The nightmares of his final battle continued every time he slept, and he dreamed he was drowning in blood and fire.</p><p>It was an excellent motivator.</p><p>A year passed, while Indigo burned slowly from the inside out, in a world he didn't recognize or understand.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Light broke over the silhouette of Mount Moon on the horizon, spilling a fresh palette of colors over Pewter City. Rock Pokémon rumbled irritably, shaking off the morning dew as though it burned, sleeping statues coming to life in the dawn. Pidgey chased each other between buildings, greeting the new day.</p><p>It would have been peaceful, if it weren't for the commotion at the local Pokémon Center.</p><p>"Did you hear?"</p><p>"He's a <em>legend</em>."</p><p>"Coming to Pewter any minute now…"</p><p>Trainers of all types stood in huddled groups in the chilled autumn morning, chatting animatedly in spite of the hour. Despite their breath freezing to mist, some even waited without coats, or wearing pajamas, their arms crossed against the cold.</p><p>"Didn't he save an entire town from a rampaging Dragonite?" a blonde girl wearing a tasseled pink hat whispered to her friend, her startling fuchsia eyes bright over rose-flushed cheeks. "Single-handedly to boot!"</p><p>"We don't get celebrities passing through often," the auburn-haired girl in a dark leather jacket agreed. "It's always newbies fresh out of Viridian Forest. But this guy has serious power. I don't think there's a single person here who can match him."</p><p>"What about Terry? Weren't you telling me last week he was the strongest trainer you'd ever met?" the blonde girl demanded, as though personally offended, using her animated hands to talk.</p><p>"Come off it, Bells, we both know Terry's good. But we have to face the facts, and admit pure talent is no match for the experience this guy has. I mean, you know what he does, right? He's a hero, travelling the world and hunting down rogue Pokémon who are threatening people. He's probably locked away more psychopathic Pokémon than the police!"</p><p>"But why's he coming <em>here</em>?" Isabella demanded. "There aren't any rogue Pokémon, right? He could be in the Seafoam Caves hunting down that mysterious Froslass, or searching for the powerful Gengar rumored to be in Lavender Town. It doesn't make sense, Rachel!"</p><p>"Maybe he's after the Lucario in the mountains," Rachel wondered. "He probably needs strong partners, since he's always hunting down monsters…funny thing, too, I heard that Lucario can <em>talk</em>."</p><p>"No way," Isabella protested, smacking her friend's arm. "I definitely would have heard <em>that</em> one! Last I heard, it could shoot laser beams and <em>fly</em>!" she said, shooting finger guns to demonstrate.</p><p>"…Bells, you're an idiot."</p><p>Murmurs broke out among the crowd. Both girls looked up, as a lone blond man made his way towards the Pokémon Center.</p><p>The newcomer was built strong, all lean muscle and long limbs. He had fair skin and tousled blond hair, his honest features somehow suited to glasses, though he wore none. Terrible scars slashed his left arm, as if from monstrous claws. He blanched slightly at the large group of intently staring teenagers.</p><p>"Hello?" the proclaimed hero said awkwardly, raising a hand in greeting. A crease formed between his warm orange eyes. "Ah, it's…nice to meet you all?"</p><p>"<em>Karo Asuna</em>," Isabella breathed in reverence. "In the flesh!"</p><p>No one dared respond. Everyone was too busy staring, their minds blanking entirely. "Right then," Karo said after a beat. "I guess I'll just…"</p><p>Not a single person moved as he walked past them towards the doors of the Pokémon Center. "Hey!" a voice broke out, as a boy detached from the crowd. "Hang on a sec."</p><p>His artfully-spiked black hair was instantly recognizable, as was the flash in his eyes. He strode to meet the famous man, and held out his hand. "Terry Slade," he introduced himself, not bothering with a preamble. "I already know who you are."</p><p>"A pleasure," Karo said, a little surprised, shaking the proffered hand. The two regarded each other for a long moment, before Terry dropped his hand and walked back to his posse without another word.</p><p>The tension in the air seemed to break then.</p><p>"Can I get an autograph?" Isabella called, but there were too many people in front of her, all clambering to introduce themselves and ask for the same.</p><p>The hubbub died down eventually. Karo shook at least twenty people's hands following Terry's example, more embarrassed by the moment, but unable to speak up. Trainers flooded the Pokémon Center after him, talking and sneaking quick pictures from afar.</p><p>Finally, Nurse Joy had had enough.</p><p>"Unless you have Pokémon to be healed, you can go outside!" she scolded, hands on her hips. The majority of the group finally dispersed, with no small amount of grumbling. A few of the more stubborn trainers stayed, mutinously sitting in armchairs, but keeping their voices down at least.</p><p>"Honestly!" the nurse huffed in exasperation. "You'd think the Champion of Kanto had come to visit! I hope nobody gave you too much trouble?"</p><p>"Oh, no, really it's fine," Karo said, waving off her concerns with a bright smile. "I'm not all that famous, but I made it on TV recently, so people know my name. I've helped the police track rogue Pokémon every once in a while, but really, I'm not special."</p><p>"I wouldn't say <em>that</em>," Nurse Joy said, softening in response to his humility. "I heard a lot about what happened in Blackthorn City. No one could stop that rogue Dragonite. If you hadn't defeated it, the casualties would have been much worse!"</p><p>"My partner, Alakazam, did the hard work," Karo said, twirling a lock of hair with a self-conscious smile. "I don't know where I'd be without him. If you don't mind, Miss Joy…could I book a room for a few nights?"</p><p>Of course, there were still some trainers looking at him. Some were more subtle than others. Isabella peered suspiciously over the edge of a couch, her narrowed eyes peeking just over the fabric. Rachel sat normally facing the other direction, arms crossed.</p><p>"I just have one question," she asked without turning, determined to prove she was more normal than the girl next to her. "How on earth did everyone in Pewter seem to know Karo Asuna was coming to town? It's a little creepy if you ask me."</p><p>"Ben's older sister in Celadon knows everything," Isabella explained, never taking her eyes off her target. "She tracks celebrities or something. I think her name is Allison. Ah! He's coming this way!"</p><p>Conversations cut off as Karo approached the groups. Even Terry looked up, ignoring the blue-haired girl who appeared to be telling him a story. He did blink a few times when he saw Isabella glaring distrustfully at him over the edge of a couch, but didn't comment.</p><p>"I suppose a few of you have figured out why I'm here," he began hesitantly, tracing his scarred arm in an unconscious fidget. "In fact, I want to be clear on that matter, so I don't step on anyone's toes. I came following rumors of a powerful Lucario in the mountains. From what I've heard, it fights like every battle is a life or death situation…and so far, no trainer has been able to capture it. I'm here to try."</p><p>Murmurs broke out after this speech. Terry didn't react, staring in silence.</p><p>"Wait!" Isabella exclaimed, popping up from her supposed hiding place, pointing a finger at the surprised celebrity. "W-What if someone else wanted to catch it first? Maybe someone has been wanting to for a while! And besides, that person might be stronger than you are!"</p><p>Karo blinked. "Are you talking about yourself, young lady?" Rachel sniggered at this, and Isabella blushed.</p><p>"Well no," she admitted, feeling the weight of all the eyes in the room. She rallied herself, regaining her train of thought. "Terry does though! And he could definitely beat you, no matter what!"</p><p>Absolute silence fell in the wake of Isabella's passionate words. Tension hung thick in the air, and it seemed like everyone held their breath as Karo faced Terry once more.</p><p>"Is this true?" he asked simply.</p><p>Terry glared as though considering refusing to answer. "And if it is?" he said at last in a dark murmur.</p><p>Karo laughed, and more than one person jumped at the sound after the tense atmosphere. "That's perfect," he said, genuinely. "Absolutely <em>wonderful</em>. In fact, I was just about to ask if someone else wanted to try first."</p><p>"I've travelled every corner of this continent, searching for powerful Pokémon. As such, I always enjoy seeing the powerful partners of local trainers. I'm willing to stand back and wait, while any local who wants to capture this Lucario attempts to do so. I will take my turn only <em>after</em> everyone who thinks they're up to the challenge has tried."</p><p>"And if one of use catches it?" Terry asked, leaning forward despite himself.</p><p>Karo smiled.</p><p>"If someone succeeds in capturing the Lucario, they will have a choice. They can either keep the Lucario for themselves…or, they can trade it to me, for any one of my own Pokémon, with the exception of my Alakazam."</p><p>Speculative whispers broke out in the lobby, which was slowly filling up with people again as the ones who had left smuggled themselves back inside. "Seems too good to be true," Rachel commented suspiciously. "What's in this bet for you?"</p><p>Karo merely held out his hands, as if to show there was no trick. "I get the opportunity to see the local talent, gauge the Lucario's true potential outside of rumors, and witness a spectacular battle in the process. What's the downside?"</p><p>Terry stood, casually defiant. "You're on. I'll show you…how a true trainer does battle!"</p><p>~o~</p><p>The expedition to capture the wild Lucario was set to noon the next day. Word spread like wildfire.</p><p>More than one battle broke out throughout the city, as trainers fought to prove they were strong enough to go. It was an unspoken agreement that no weak trainers would be trying their luck in Karo's wager. No one wanted to show him anything but Pewter's best. Most who would have joined for the chance at one of Karo's powerful Pokémon bowed out due to defeats before it was time to leave. People could talk of nothing else.</p><p>It was surprisingly easy, considering the hubbub, for Karo to slip out of the city to the surrounding woods later that day.</p><p>He tossed a poké ball towards the rustling treetops, catching it casually after a winged shadow broke free. He'd gone further into the unmarked western woods than was technically legal, for good reason. Not a soul would be around to hear.</p><p>Branches snapped above, hundreds of crisp fall leaves raining to the earth. Karo Asuna didn't seem to care, taking a relaxed seat against the craggy bark of an ancient pine. Blasting wind flattened the long grasses, and a nearby treetop ripped free with a groan of tortured wood, and crashed through a stand of delicate new saplings.</p><p>"I hope you appreciate this exercise session," Karo said conversationally, tilting his head back to catch some of the light filtering through the forest canopy. More branches snapped like gunshots, and a tree groaned as it fell to the earth. A flock of Pidgey took off, screeching wildly.</p><p>Frantic cries filled the forest. One of the Pidgey hadn't been quite fast enough. A brutal snap silenced the creature, and a feathered wing hit the ground by Karo's feet. Bits and pieces followed, torn rather than bitten.</p><p>"It's not easy, hiding like this. With any luck, we'll be in Unova by next year, after we hunt down our final target. No one knows us there. I'll have to be careful not to end up on television again." He mused this out loud, as a deep shadow passed over him. Tremors shook the earth when the flying creature landed. Karo half-opened his warm orange eyes.</p><p>"Isn't that right, Dragonite?"</p><p>Deceptively powerful teal wings snapped inwards when Dragonite lifted his head. It may have been a mental defect, which made the monster's eyes so empty and cruel. Brightly colored blood stood out against his thick yellow hide, spattering everywhere but his jaws. This Dragonite never killed to eat. Ironically, the killer enjoyed berries far more than flesh.</p><p>The demon of Blackthorn City roared, and Karo grinned against the pounding blast of noise. "Be patient, dear! You'll draw attention. Be good, and we may have some fun tomorrow. There will be at least a few trainers travelling into the mountains with me. It wouldn't be so strange if one of them got lost…the wilderness can be so dangerous after all."</p><p>The Dragonite flexed his wings, leaping off the ground once more. More trees fell to his crushing claws as he vented weeks of pent-up energy. Tiny wild Pokémon hid in their burrows and dens, their shaking bodies pressed up against the others to make enough room for as many as possible.</p><p>"I wonder if this Lucario will be strong." Karo mused out loud, half to himself. "It might be worth adding to the team. I only take the best however, and if it doesn't make the cut…well, you can have it, if that happens. We'll have to find someplace isolated. Can't have anyone hearing it die after all."</p><p>He laughed then, as his Dragonite discovered a Pokémon in hiding, laughed at how easily people were fooled, and how easy it was to play the hero.</p><p>Neither saw the wide eyes watching from the brush, filled with absolute bone-wrenching horror, or heard the thundering heartbeat. The watcher froze, barely daring to breathe. It was only hours later, long after Karo had gone, that they were finally able to stand.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Fire sang in Indigo's blood. He moved so smoothly it was almost a dance, bobbing and weaving between sporadic bursts of flames shot his way by a tiny Flareon. His breathing rasped, keeping his sharp eyes tightly shut. It took every ounce of focus he had to stay one step ahead of his opponent.</p><p>Aura swirled through the battlefield, moving moments before the players on it, allowing Indigo a half-second to react to attacks that had not yet begun. He threw his upper body backwards to avoid a bursting fireball which singed his ears, and twisted into a side roll as the Flareon slashed at him with wicked claws.</p><p>The trainers came in groups, sometimes. It had never been a problem to him. Many trainers weren't willing to fight to the last Pokémon this high in the mountains, and on top of that, the ones who came in groups were usually weaker than the solo trainers. This time was different.</p><p>Indigo couldn't remember the last time he had been pushed this far.</p><p>"Flamethrower, Pyre!"</p><p>His opponent was a teenage boy in a dark-red jacket, his spiked black hair unevenly framing his flashing eyes. The others called him Terry, and he was by far the most skilled trainer Indigo had ever faced in the future.</p><p>Indigo skipped to the side of a deadly fireball, narrowly avoiding the tongues of flame. The small Flareon responsible for the inferno tensed, baring her tiny fangs in a hiss. Blackened grass and gouges scarred the meadow.</p><p>Four trainers he had fought before Terry, four battles he had won mercilessly. And yet this trainer, with his cool demeanor and harsh fighting style was wearing him down, attack by attack. Indigo couldn't restrain his shock. It was all he could do to keep up.</p><p>If he followed the pattern of the others, Terry would keep one Pokémon in reserve. Which meant <em>this</em> one was the last Indigo had to defeat. One more blow from that fire, and he would lose. He knew it in his bones, and in the testament of the adrenaline sharpening his every movement. If he lost, he had found the one.</p><p>His destined trainer, who could teach him true strength!</p><p>Black smoke hazed the treacherous battlefield, and Indigo realized he'd walked into a trap! The endless barrage of fire attacks had tired him out while poisoning the very air. He struggled to breathe, his aura vision darkening. One way or another, this battle was nearly over. But Indigo lowered his center of gravity, his right arm stretched forward in a fighting stance.</p><p>"Pyre, Fire Blast!" Terry commanded, with an air of finality. Flareon leapt off the ground, cherry-red flames spilling from the edges of her mouth as the furnace in her small body boiled over.</p><p>Indigo raised his arms just as the Flareon came into range, stormy shadows gathering around his palms. He released his Dark Pulse at the same moment the Fire Blast roared from the smoke, shouting a dark war cry!</p><p>The two attacks exploded in scarlet and midnight with a booming roar which blocked out all other sounds. The resulting shockwave was powerful enough to clear the smoke from the battlefield, shaking a rain of leaves from the distant trees.</p><p>When the blast cleared, the Flareon lay limply on the ground, knocked back to her trainer's feet. Indigo panted heavily, his leaden arms hanging by his side.</p><p>He straightened with a satisfied smirk, opening his eyes and breaking the connection with his aura vision. Perhaps <em>not</em> destiny, then.</p><p>A roar came from the group of trainers after Terry's <em>loss</em> sank in. Chaos reigned, until a blond man clapped.</p><p>"That was incredible," he said in a kind tenor. "Terry, that Flareon of yours is something amazing. Lucille, your Tyranitar is nothing to sneeze at either, but the double fighting weakness…" he gathered himself, addressing the group as a whole. "I am honored I was able to see so many talented trainers in action today. It is with no regrets that I take the battlefield myself…"</p><p>Murmurs broke out among the five as a dark-haired girl shuffled forward, her eyes turned resolutely down to the ground. Indigo hadn't even noticed her. Apparently, her presence had been all but forgotten by everyone.</p><p>Karo blinked. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name? Were you going to battle the Lucario as well?"</p><p>The girl didn't speak. She didn't even look up. Her shoulders were hunched, as though she could barely stand to be in the center of attention at all. After a long, awkward pause, Karo spoke again.</p><p>"I did say anyone could try. Go on then."</p><p>"Does she even have a Pokémon?" one girl hissed quietly, barely audible even with his enhanced hearing, as the girl shuffled to the end of the battlefield. "Who let her come?" Terry said nothing in response to this, although Indigo rather thought he agreed.</p><p>He was indescribably tired. The last battle especially had taken a lot out of him. Indigo was tempted to simply leave. He studied his new opponent, his sharp crimson eyes missing nothing.</p><p>She was an average girl with fair skin, wearing scuffed jeans and a short-sleeved white shirt. Her straight hair was her most distinguishing feature, as black as night, worn long over her shoulders. She carried a beat-up yellow backpack which looked like it had been around since the previous century. She carried one poké ball, and one alone at her belt, though the purple sphere seemed strange…</p><p>It didn't seem worth it. He was truly tempted to leave. The girl looked up as she took her position, finally, and Indigo's heart gave a painful lurch as though stabbed.</p><p>Her eyes shone violet, the exact shade Riza's had been. As an emotion near agony ripped through him, those eyes filled with a quiet determination.</p><p>She took a deep breath, readying herself. When she spoke, her voice was cracked and quiet with disuse.</p><p>It took Indigo a long moment to realize she didn't intend to battle him at all!</p><p>"<em>Go, master ball</em>!"</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Mask of a Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: If I owned Pokémon there's a good chance Quagsires would rule the world. Translation, I should definitely own Pokémon.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>If the cursed warrior had been just a little faster, he might have avoided the master ball entirely.</p><p>Indigo instinctively tried to dodge, but he'd lost a second of time to sheer surprise and heavy muscles. The sphere exploded against his shoulder like a sun. Light engulfed his widening eyes as binding warmth tore up his form. It felt almost like chains, shackles of energy which paralyzed his muscles and bound his very aura.</p><p>This was hardly the first time someone had tried to catch him. But Indigo had always been able to break free with a burst of willpower. This was like trying to escape <em>gravity!</em></p><p>He couldn't be brought down like this!</p><p>"No!" he snarled into the light, dawning realization filling his heart even as his muscles struggled. <em>He couldn't escape this.</em> It simply wasn't possible! With one, final effort, he released every ounce of aura he had with a frustrated howl. It exploded into shimmering blue that tried to push back the relentless tide of violet.</p><p>For an instant, he thought he'd won. But it was already far too late. His blue aura was swallowed up by pure light, and Indigo saw no more.</p><p>The master ball let out a hollow click, and finally went still in the grass.</p><p>Heavy silence descended. The girl who had thrown the master ball was breathing too fast. She spun on one heel, facing the other trainers defiantly. Watching Karo. As if <em>waiting</em>.</p><p>Shouts broke out from the four trainers who had been defeated first, furious words lost in a jumble as everyone spoke at once. Terry Slade alone was quiet, his eyes wide with what might have been surprise. The girl flinched horribly at the onslaught, but did not move or speak. She was shaking. It looked as though she wanted nothing more than to hide.</p><p>The angry tirade faded, as the gathered trainers became aware of another sound, which had started out quietly, gaining volume. And then, everyone stared at Karo, their voices failing one by one.</p><p>Karo Asuna was laughing, hunched over and clutching his arms, as though it were the funniest thing he had ever seen. He straightened up, wiping away a tear with one hand. "What is your name?" he addressed the girl once more, and his voice was different, no longer polite and reserved.</p><p>Again, the girl did not answer. Almost glaring. Terry spoke, finally. "Her name is Violet," he said quietly, no trace of contempt in the word. "Violet Hikari." Something haunted flashed in her amethyst eyes as her name was spoken aloud.</p><p>"Violet," Karo crooned, tasting the name. "That was clever. I'm in shock. It's almost a shame, really. If Lucario weren't so strong, I might be tempted to let that stand…but I digress. Alakazam!" The girl flinched at his shout, as light congealed into his Pokémon. Karo's orange eyes blazed wild and cruel, matching his uninhibited grin.</p><p>"I had intended to take the Lucario regardless of who captured it," Karo informed them, dropping all pretense. "As a bonus, I was going to take any powerful Pokémon in this group. That's why I organized this little adventure. The best part is, it doesn't matter if I tell you all this. Alakazam, alter their memories of today's events!"</p><p>He had the air of someone who had given the particular order many times before. Not one person had enough time to react, before the Alakazam unleashed a psychic blast which tore through each trainer in a wave. Every one of them collapsed to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.</p><p>Karo couldn't help but smile. "The girl will have to die, to break her ownership with the master ball…if the rumors of its power are true. But I suppose you're going to try and stop me?"</p><p>Terry Slade dragged himself from the ground and stood shakily. Four bodies lay unconscious behind him. Karo seemed impressed, though not truly worried.</p><p>"Your mind is strong, to withstand a memory wipe from my Alakazam. Do you really intend to fight me? After you lost the majority of your team to the Lucario?"</p><p>Terry didn't respond, but his dark eyes flickered over to Violet.</p><p>She pulled herself to her hands and knees, brushing dirt from her cheek with the back of one hand, her breath coming fast. She stood shakily, holding the arm she'd landed on awkwardly.</p><p>If anything, Karo's smile grew wider.</p><p>"Two of you? That <em>is</em> a surprise. But it hardly matters." He pulled another sphere from his belt as he spoke, nonchalantly, as though he were commenting on the weather. "Kabutops, cut off her head."</p><p>"Violet, run-!"</p><p>Kabutops materialized mid-word, slashing at the silent girl with a dull-grey scythe. She jerked her head back just in time, the blade slicing cleanly through the tips of her black hair. Her eyes widened as the killing blow missed by bare inches, the wind of its passing brushing against her skin.</p><p>She jumped back just in time, the second blow whistling harmlessly through the air. Sliding her backpack off as she moved. The Kabutops surprise when she threw the backpack was enough to gain her another moment, even though her 'weapon' missed, landing instead at Terry's feet.</p><p>She then did the only sensible thing for the situation; turned on her heel and ran. She leaned down to grab the master ball in the grass as she sprinted past, escaping to the trees with Kabutops streaking after her.</p><p>Karo's teeth ground together. She was surprisingly fast! "Make sure the job gets done, Arcanine," he snarled, releasing a third Pokémon onto the field. He froze as a clattering sound came from behind him.</p><p>Violet's backpack shook and clattered. Light burst from the seams, and Karo raised an arm instinctively to shield his face as <em>something</em> exploded outwards.</p><p>Five Abra broke out of the light, teleporting to the fallen trainers. One by one, they touched the unconscious people, teleporting away with a 'crack'. Karo's Arcanine leapt for the nearest, snapping it up with powerful jaws. The Abra died with a strangled cry, before it was able to do anything.</p><p>"That girl!" Karo seethed, as the children were sent to safety. "She couldn't have planned…but how could she have known? It isn't possible. Is she psychic?" Ironic, after all the trouble he'd gone through to avoid Sabrina's city!</p><p>The shining poké balls were obviously brand new, meaning the Abra were caught very recently. Additionally, they were working under clear prior orders – to bring everyone to safety on the signal.</p><p>Only five Abra. But six trainers. Had she intended to fight him alone, after sending the others to safety? Could she have been banking on the strength of the one Pokémon she carried with her?</p><p>Impossible. His strength was well known. Surely she couldn't be so confident in his defeat? That socially crippled little girl who hadn't even been able to say her own <em>name</em>? And yet, doubt crossed his mind, and Karo began to wonder if Kabutops would be coming back at all.</p><p>"I'm doubt <em>she's</em> psychic," Terry said quietly, straightening after inspecting the bag he'd been thrown. "Just clever. At least…she used to be."</p><p>Unless one of those Abra had been intended for <em>her</em>…and Violet had planned on leaving one trainer behind. One powerful trainer, who had the potential to, if not defeat him, at least slow him down until reinforcements arrived.</p><p>Terry's Flareon snarled aggressively, baring her fangs at the massive Arcanine, her wounds gone. Expensive healing items filled the oversized backpack, gleaming brand new.</p><p>Terry's eyes smoldered with dark anger as he healed his team members one by one. "What were you saying just now…about me not being able to fight?"</p><p>Shock flashed across Karo's face as fire billowed from Flareon's mouth. His Arcanine leapt in front of the inferno before it reached him, the yellow flames spilling hot around his fur. Terry released a Gothitelle without missing a beat, a Pokémon he had not used against the Lucario earlier. She attacked Alakazam without hesitation, her psychic power tinged orange.</p><p>If Arcanine had not reacted so quickly, and knocked out the fifth Abra before it could teleport to Violet, Karo realized, it would have meant destruction. He forced his attention away from the woods, the battle intensifying.</p><p>The trainers accompanying him were skilled, the best of the local rookie class. But the elites of Pewter lay in the mighty rock-type gym, and in the unyielding ranks of the police force.</p><p>If a group of <em>those</em> trainers came after him, even the strength of his team of psychopathic monsters would fail. He had always known that. It was the sole reason he kept his ambitions a secret. If word got out what he had done with all the monsters he had supposedly turned in for confinement…if people knew he had been keeping them for himself, disguised with Alakazam's false memory implants…</p><p>Lance himself would come for him. The thought turned Karo's blood to ice.</p><p>But hope was not yet lost. Violet had clearly<em> not</em> planned for his Alakazam's memory wipe. The trainers sent away had already been given fake memories. Each one thought Karo had captured the Lucario, complete with memories of returning to Pewter. None would suspect a thing.</p><p>Help would never come. Terry would undoubtedly fall before long. The boy's strength was promising, but not enough to defeat him.</p><p>Which meant the only thing standing in his way was Violet, and her unknown partner. He had already fallen for one of her tricks. He wouldn't underestimate her a second time. He no longer knew if his Kabutops alone would be a match for her.</p><p>All he had to do was find a way to get her to come to him.</p><p>It would probably be overkill. But, it was better to be certain after all.</p><p>He was not worried about Terry healing his Pokémon every time they fainted. Because healing items only worked on the living, and he was not battling for sport.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Violet had forgotten the adrenaline-fueled terror of running for her life. Her blood burned. Though her legs screamed with protest, she doubted she could have stopped even if she wanted to. Survival instincts spurred her forward, and though she knew she wasn't slow, the sound of pursuit was never far behind.</p><p><em>Faster.</em> The thought drove her onward, her lungs laboring with each gasping breath. She had to go <em>faster!</em></p><p>Kabutops appeared in the corner of her eye. Violet banked sharply to the right, narrowly avoiding the whistling scythe. It smashed into a tree instead, showering her back with splinters.</p><p>Her heart pounded hot in her ears, and Violet found herself wondering if perhaps she had been an absolute idiot to try and outmatch Karo Asuna…</p><p>She could have done nothing. That had been an option. After seeing firsthand Karo's cruelty and sheer strength in the forest, she had been shamefully tempted to do just that. She didn't know why she'd chosen to act. Violet Hikari was no hero. She already knew that.</p><p>A long time ago, she'd known a real hero. What she was doing now was merely a cheap imitation of what she thought <em>he</em> might have done in the same situation.</p><p>Not that her plan was going well, Violet thought grimly, her feet pounding out a drumbeat on the earth. The Kabutops had needed a few precious moments to free his blade-like forearm from the trunk of the tree. She no longer heard it behind her, and that scared her more than anything else.</p><p>She'd tried going to the police, but a combination of the impossibility of her claim, and the fact that she had barely been able to speak a word worked against her. In the end she was sent away, leaving Violet feeling like an utter failure for not being able to string two sentences together clearly. If she were more confident, if she hadn't felt like she was being crushed under a rock the entire time she told her story, maybe they would have believed her. Or at least sent backup just in case.</p><p>But it was one loner teenager's impossible claim against Karo's heroic reputation and celebrity status. Of course they hadn't believed her!</p><p>The master ball shook violently as the wounded Lucario tried to escape. She held it clamped shut, gritting her teeth. Just how much of the situation could he sense? But fighting was <em>not</em> an option. The Lucario was wounded and exhausted, in no condition for such a high level fight!</p><p>As for her other Pokémon, well…</p><p>Violet bit her lip. She wasn't ready to make a stand. Not here. She needed to lose the Kabutops, or everything would be over.</p><p>She hadn't heard her pursuer in quite some time, actually. Violet's sprint turned to a jog, every sense on high alert. Finally, she came to a stop, giving her shaking muscles a brief reprieve. The distant roar of the river murmured from somewhere down the slope, the bitter tang of pine sap wafting on a clear mountain breeze.</p><p>The master ball stilled in her hands, and Violet allowed herself a sigh of relief.</p><p>Kabutops dropped from the trees without a sound.</p><p>Violet screamed as the scythe cut deep into her left shoulder, scraping against bone! Blood gushed hot over her torso, a second sickening jerk of pain erupting as the dull blade lurched free from muscle. She recoiled, nearly falling to the ground as she half-stumbled backwards in her haste to escape.</p><p>The Kabutops waited, letting her realize the scope of her injury and stumble a short distance away. Like living lightning the thing struck again, cleaving a neat slice in her right calf. A shallow wound, just deep enough to bleed. The prehistoric fossil bobbed in front of her, feinting a slash just to see her flinch! With strange, chortling clicks, the thing deliberately advanced low to the ground as she backed away, fixated on her fear.</p><p>It was <em>playing</em> with her, Violet realized with a sickened jolt. Who knew how long it would be before the killer tired of cutting her up and finished the job?</p><p>She was going to die.</p><p>Alone in the woods, without putting up a fight at all!</p><p>She hoped the Lucario would have the sense to wait until the Kabutops left before breaking free. No sense in two of them dying, after all.</p><p>As if he'd heard her thoughts, the master ball shook again, so violently she nearly lost hold of it! Violet held it tightly shut with her one good hand, clearing her mind with a slow, deep breath. Her options sprang into being like shining stars.</p><p>Green-black thorns clung to the rock face separating the forest from the looming cliffs in a vast barbed web, a veritable shield wall of savage vines. Violet turned on her heel and ran towards it, diving beneath the sparse gap just above the ground, scrambling forward on her stomach as the lowest thorns scratched her reaching arms. The taunting clacks of the Kabutops changed to fury as he realized what she'd done! Snaps and slashes crashed behind her as Violet crawled forward, thorns yanking at her clothes and hair. One of her shoes was left behind, sacrificed to the angry foliage.</p><p>She hit stone before long, scrambling to press her back against the cliff in the small clear space, which had blessedly formed where sunlight barely filtered. The entire mass of tangle growth shook with every blow, the clusters of tough vines putting up a strong resistance to the hacking machete. Green sap bled along the Kabutops' scythes as malice glinted in his yellowed eyes. Realizing how trapped she still was.</p><p>"Hey," Violet whispered with a shaking voice, addressing the jolting master ball held against her stomach. With no other people to hear, her silvery words came out unbroken, though quiet. "It's going to be alright, okay? I…I promise. So don't be afraid. Everything is going to be just fine. Just stay still, and you'll make it out of this. Even if I <em>don't.</em>"</p><p>She took a deep breath. "I've heard the stories, you know. How you fight as if nothing else matters but victory…and how alone you are. Can I tell you one of my own stories?"</p><p>Her violet eyes slipped closed, desperate tears coursing down her dirt-smudged cheeks. The Kabutops hacked through a particularly thick vine, after getting its scythe caught in a tangle of springy green. "Once upon a time," she breathed, ignoring the crack of breaking branches. "There was a girl who wanted to be a hero. She wasn't good at a lot of things. And she got bullied a lot as a kid. She heard a lot about how she could never be something strong…and after a while, the girl started to believe it, just a little. She shut herself away, and forgot what it felt like to believe in herself."</p><p>The master ball went very still. Violet relaxed her arm just a little, and tried hard not to cry. The tears only came harder, her voice shaking. "But one day, she met a boy who was stronger than anyone, and kinder too. He took her hand, and she began to believe again. Little by little, she learned how to be kind, and the pain left her heart. But something terrible happened, and she was left alone. She fell into darkness, and locked herself away once more. It seemed like the end of her story. But even though she felt like she was drowning, still the girl dreamed, daring to hope that she could be a hero, someday…"</p><p>Violet bowed her head, unable to speak past the raw emotions in her throat for a long moment. "<em>Sorry, Danny,</em>" she breathed, tightening her arms across her knees as the carnage slashed closer still.</p><p>As her words died, so did the sound of slicing blades.</p><p>She opened her eyes at last. The Kabutops stood perfectly still, his wedge-shaped head held high as if listening to silent words. And then, to Violet's great astonishment, the Kabutops darted away, leaving her alone in the thorns.</p><p>A psychic message? Had Terry pressured Karo so far he'd needed to recall his Kabutops to battle? Her heart twisted at the thought – she hadn't meant to leave everything on his shoulders! Without the witness of the mind-wiped trainers, no backup would come. They were on their own…but <em>she</em> didn't have a trained team.</p><p>Could he win? Could she get backup with such wounds, in the dark?</p><p>Violet pushed her worries aside, gritting her teeth as she crawled out of the stabbing thorn bush.</p><p>Sunset filtered red through the treetops. She stared hollowly over the ridge at the distant lights of Pewter City - miles away. She turned towards the rushing river instead, panting through the pain. The Kabutops was truly gone, this time. It was a small consolation.</p><p>Focusing on each step helped her ignore the pain. It became easier when she reached the water's edge, her feet carrying her along the winding riverside path without pause. She confidently walked upstream, growing cliffs lining the hissing waters at her sides.</p><p>The dying light hadn't yet faded when she reached the shining waterfall called Dragon's Ascent.</p><p>The river widened to a great basin at the foot of the falls, the unfathomably-deep water stained dark blue by the failing light. The grand falls roared in a cascade of white water, making the indigo depths hiss and boil on contact, fine mist billowing to fill the basin. Every sunrise transformed the mist to shattering rainbows.</p><p>Far above, an abandoned torii gate stretched above the mouth of the falls, moss creeping up the peeling red paint. Leaping to the gate was said to be the final test for a Magikarp to evolve into a Gyarados.</p><p>Violet braced herself, jumping off the broken path to a granite steppingstone. She steadied herself, picking out the next stone as the twilight deepened towards night. Towering grey cliffs encircled the great basin at the fall's base, cutting off the area from the outside world. Only her small, winding path led safely to the misty hollow. On she went, half terrified the Kabutops would surge out of the water and kill her once and for all, despite the secretive location.</p><p>She leapt to the final stone just as her vision began to fail, edging around the hidden path behind the waterfall.</p><p>A locked chest and sparse decorations adorned the perfect little cave beneath the falls. The dark curtain of water roared over the entrance in a constant wall of sound. A fishing rod and bait lay propped against the stones, near a dark tunnel stretching deep within the mountain itself, its narrow mouth choked with unbroken moss.</p><p>Violet sank to the ground of her secret base, taking a moment just to rest.</p><p>She wondered if Terry had won, too tired to truly care. She had more immediate concerns. Lethargy whispered sweet promises in her ear before she'd rested nearly enough - she forced herself to stand with a groan. Stumbling towards her waterproof chest, her numb fingers finding the key beneath a crack in the wall.</p><p>A small lantern flared to life, casting a faint electric circle around her knees as she rifled through her supplies. Violet raised a plastic water bottle to her dry lips, draining the entire thing in one go, and half of another. Bandaging and a small med kit piled on the floor by some dried rations and a spare change of clothes.</p><p>A picture frame lay face down at the very bottom of the chest. She was careful not to even touch it.</p><p>Fabric ripped as she tore up a spare shirt with her teeth, forming a makeshift sling that took the worst of the edge off her shoulder. Violet hissed as she cleaned the wound as best she could, promising herself she'd buy a better first-aid kit if she survived this. Half-dried blood soaked down to her waist, but the gash itself had slowed to an angry seep.</p><p>Exhaustion coiled through her, but the rest and water helped. She might just live, Violet decided grimly. Two inadequate painkillers for headaches followed a few chocolatey granola bars, and she began to feel human again.</p><p>Her forgotten master ball burst open, engulfing the cavern in light. Violet drew in a sharp breath, blinking furiously as her eyes readjusted on a shadowy tailed figure.</p><p>Her new teammate. If things went well, they would be together through thick and thin, becoming partners and friends. The bond between a Pokémon and trainer was precious, and first impressions were important.</p><p>"You stupid idiot," the Lucario deadpanned <em>out loud</em>, glaring at her as though she had brain damage. "What were you <em>thinking</em>? Or do you even have a brain in the first place?"</p><p>"I'm sorry…what?" Violet stammered, all thought abandoning her in an empty whoosh. "<em>Um.</em> You can talk? With…real words?"</p><p>"No, that would be ridiculous," her new Lucario said, his voice dripping sarcasm. "Did you get hit on the head? Dropped a few times as a baby perhaps? Of course I can talk."</p><p>"That is <em>not</em> a nice thing to say!" Violet gasped, trying to think of a clever comeback. It was important she prove to her new Pokémon she was competent. <em>Be intelligent and capable!</em> "You should speak…manners with better…words. <em>Dangit,</em>" she finished in an exasperated whisper.</p><p>The Lucario did not grace that with a response, instead looking at her with heavy, unspoken judgement.</p><p>So much for first impressions. She laughed, holding out a hand and dropping all ideas of asserting herself. "Let's start again, okay? My name is Violet. It's a pleasure to meet you."</p><p>"You nearly died," the Lucario said flatly, ignoring her outstretched hand and introduction entirely. "Is brain damage a common affliction in the area? I could have <em>helped</em>. Instead you kept me imprisoned in that…that…" He seemed unable to find words to describe his master ball, glaring at it as if it were poisonous. "<em>Thing</em>," he finished insufficiently. "Kabutops would never have been a match for <em>me</em>."</p><p>She gaped at his unexpected arrogance. "You were exhausted and out leveled!" Violet protested, the Lucario turning his head away defiantly. "I saved your <em>life</em>."</p><p>"You don't even know me," the Lucario growled, not bothering to refute her analysis of the situation. "And if you did…you would have been happy to see me die. I'm not someone worth protecting. You should have left me behind and saved yourself. In the very least, I could have been a distraction." He considered the matter for a moment. "That being said, I'm not convinced I would have <em>lost</em>…and <em>what</em> are you smiling about?"</p><p>Violet beamed, her head tilting to one side. She could see his suspicions about her supposed brain damage growing stronger. "You're wrong," she explained, a giddy wave of relief washing over her exhausted mind. "You have a good heart. I can tell. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Lucario."</p><p>He regarded her in silence after her speech as she diligently tried to bandage her shoulder with one hand, one end held tight with her teeth.</p><p>As if on the verge of speaking, to remind her he had spent the last few minutes insulting her, or maybe to challenge her naïve attitude. But his retort never came.</p><p>He snatched the bandage roll gruffly, wrapping her shoulder more tightly than she could manage. Not responding to her surprised thank you.</p><p>"My name is Indigo," the Lucario said at last, after the worst of her injuries had been bound. "Call me Mr. Lucario again and I'll throw you in the river."</p><p>~o~</p><p>It was easy to lose himself in thought in the darkness. The constant roar of the waterfall helped. After a while it became ambient background noise, strangely relaxing. Indigo sat against the stone wall of the hidden cavern with his eyes closed. Anyone who saw him would think he was asleep. In fact, sleep was the furthest thing from Indigo's mind.</p><p>Something deep inside him had cracked tonight. A memory, of someone he'd thought long dead. Helping bind her shoulder wasn't a meaningful gesture – it was automatic, the urge to fix what was broken. But in that moment, the ghost of that memory felt a little more solid. The simple act of helping another eased the knot of constant pain in his chest.</p><p>Like the story she'd told, Indigo remembered a naïve fool of a boy, who had once dreamed of heroism…</p><p>He stood abruptly, pacing on silent paws in the darkness.</p><p>Who was she, to drag his old memories to the surface like this? Who was she to remind him of Riza…and the person he'd once been? It was laughable to think <em>they</em> had anything in common! But something about the way she'd tried so very hard despite her closed-off personality bothered him.</p><p>Those were not the actions of a born hero. It was more like…she was trying to atone for something. The thought was unsettling – what could a girl like Violet have to make up for, which required her to go so far?</p><p>"<em>You have a good heart. I can tell.</em>"</p><p>Ridiculous. Laughable. She didn't know him at all, or she would never speak so. If this naïve girl knew what he'd done, despite his <em>good intentions</em>, she'd curse him for the monster he was. He was half-tempted to wake her and explain everything, if only to see her innocent trust twist into revulsion and hate. The idea was a bitter one.</p><p>Indigo had fallen into darkness trying to save his love, until he could no longer see the light. He'd only realized how tight his enemy's grip was on his soul when it was far too late to escape. He'd tried so hard to keep her safe, taking every burden on his own shoulders to keep the war he fought a secret, even from her.</p><p>Violet was a child, who knew nothing of darkness and evil. She could only say such things because of ignorance, he consoled himself. The notion that she believed in him was utterly ridiculous.</p><p>"<em>You have a good heart. I can tell.</em>"</p><p>His scarlet eyes snapped open in a fit of irritation. What did she know? Her opinion couldn't be trusted! She hadn't even fought back, despite having a second Pokémon with her! Surely her mystery partner could have done <em>something</em>, he concluded, somewhat mollified by his assessment. After all, it had also been captured in a so-called 'master ball', just as he had been. What creature could warrant such power, but be unsuitable for battle?</p><p>And yet…</p><p>She'd told him everything about Karo Asuna, the monster playing at heroism. How she'd planned to expose him, by waiting until he made a move against the other trainers to create additional witnesses, before teleporting them to the police and safety. How she'd waited to see if anyone else could capture him, and only used the master ball as an absolute last resort to reveal Karo's hand, since she couldn't catch him otherwise. A bit overcomplicated, but sound. It had nearly worked. Only the memory wipe was outside her predictions.</p><p>But one interesting trick did not mean she was strong enough to be his equal. If anything, he would be better off with the boy, Terry. He had lost, but it had been painfully close. And if he'd chosen to use his final Pokémon instead of holding one in reserve… Indigo knew very well he could have fallen. Terry had raised powerful partners. They seemed to trust him. Indigo knew he could learn much from him.</p><p>And then…there was the third option.</p><p>Indigo pressed his eyes closed. Hating himself for even considering it.</p><p>Violet's voice had shook when explaining the evil of Karo Asuna. How he'd captured child killers and mad creatures for personal power, including a Dragonite who loved inflicting pain. Hiding for years behind a kind mask. A true monster.</p><p>But he was strong. Undoubtedly the strongest of the three. And on a team of monsters, Indigo would fit right in. The thought made him sick, but he could not refute the truth. The man who'd nearly murdered Violet was by far his best chance at 'strength'.</p><p>He didn't know if he could do it. Once already he had made the choice to walk down that path, and it had practically destroyed a kingdom. He didn't <em>want</em> to do it. Even if he could convince Violet to let him go, even if he could convince Karo not to kill her in exchange for his own servitude, he did not want to. He knew full well how difficult it was to come back from such a choice.</p><p>Karo Asuna was nothing, nothing at all, compared to Tero of the Burning Shadows. He might be able to handle it. Perhaps he could simply use the monster to gain 'strength', and not be touched by the evil. After all, hadn't he seen what true evil looked like? Could he be strong enough to immerse himself in darkness, and come out of it the same person he had been before? Perhaps that was what he <em>needed</em> to prove he could do, in order to break his curse.</p><p>Indigo stood carefully, making little noise so as not to wake the girl, despite the waterfall's constant roar. She dreamt, curled up in the sleeping bag she'd offered <em>him</em>. He was still offended.</p><p>Indigo paced in front of the cascading wall of water, turned silver by moonlight. He stopped at the edge, where rock fell away to frosted foam, and looked where his own reflection should have been on the glassy surface.</p><p>He could see nothing. The full moon turned the water into a light source, and Indigo stood in darkness. His reflection could not be seen, even though he knew he was there. He existed in shadow, unseen and unimportant. As he had always been. It didn't mean anything really; not being able to see his own reflection. But despair gripped his heart all the same, as if this were a sign.</p><p>It was like he didn't even exist. He was fighting so hard, and there was not a single person on earth who understood his quest! He was out of place, and so very alone. He had never known what it felt like, to be really, <em>truly</em> alone. Indigo slammed an aura-infused fist against the waterfall with a strangled shout, blowing a hole in the falls that briefly exposed the peaceful basin.</p><p>And then the waterfall closed over the gap, roaring peacefully as though nothing had happened.</p><p>Indigo let his arm fall, ignoring that it shook.</p><p>He had to face the facts. Getting home was his biggest priority. Karo Asuna might well be his only chance. He was a monster, but he was also undeniably strong. He could focus on 'kindness' after discovering 'strength'. One goal at a time. It made sense.</p><p>He stood still as marble, enduring the self-hatred he felt in perfect silence. He fought alone. Kind words from a stranger did not change that. His mission remained unchanged.</p><p>The moment his resolution took shape, his conscience rebelled, violently and without hope of winning. He knew what choice he had to make. But still part of him fought, because it <em>had</em> to fight, before such a choice was set in stone. He'd felt such confliction before. But every time he chose what he knew was wrong, it became a little easier to suppress his conscience.</p><p>One day, he wouldn't feel anything.</p><p>The pain faded, and his muscles relaxed as he let go. The echoes of his rebellion died like the last rays of the setting sun, and he knew without doubt that his choice was both wrong and necessary. To fight a monster, one had to <em>become </em>a monster. And in the end, wasn't he one already? Darkness was on his side. He could only look at the light from afar, squinting to see, even as it burned him.</p><p>He was Indigo Nightwalker, and he had no reflection.</p><p>When he opened his scarlet eyes, he found himself looking into the silvery curtain of water. Wearily, he let go of a small hope he could barely define in the first place. Strangely, he couldn't quite remember Riza's face, except as vague impressions of bravery.</p><p>He would join Karo Asuna, leaving Violet behind. And he would become strong.</p><p>His large ears pricked at a whispered sound.</p><p>He'd forgotten he was not alone, in the darkness both literal and metaphorical. A tense moment passed before Indigo realized she had only spoken in her sleep, a quiet little whisper he hadn't quite made out. As he waited, she spoke again.</p><p>"<em>Sorry,</em>" Violet whispered, so faintly he had to strain to catch it over the roar of the falls, even with his enhanced hearing. "…should have…listened. One day, I'll…"</p><p>He waited in perfect stillness, listening intently, but the dark-haired slip of a girl did not speak again, falling back into fitful silence. What on earth could she have been dreaming about?</p><p>He dismissed her words as nothing more than a nightmare, and cast one last look at the waterfall before turning back to the cave.</p><p>And froze.</p><p>It had been his imagination. It had to have been.</p><p>Indigo turned back to the wall of water so carefully it would have been comical, were it not for the shocked expression on his suddenly-still face. He was tense, half-expecting an attack, muscles braced for impact. His stunned scarlet eyes were almost afraid.</p><p>He only knew because he could see them. Ever so faintly, Indigo saw a Lucario reflected back at him, broken by the texture of the thick water, but undeniably <em>there</em>. He was afraid the vision would disappear if he moved, and so he stood like a statue, hardly daring to believe the testimony of his own eyes.</p><p>Gradually, the silvery curtain brightened, reflecting as clearly as a looking glass. The boiling ink-black water at his feet hissed, as though afraid of the change.</p><p>Undefinable emotion surged through his chest, widening the crack he'd felt earlier with a painful jolt…</p><p>It took a long time for him to realize there was soft light <em>behind</em> him, turning the water into a mirror.</p><p>He didn't turn right away, unwilling to look away from the tiny, insignificant sign he still mattered. Finally, he tore his gaze away, staring into an impossible aurora.</p><p>Shifting mazarine blue, indigo, and violet painted the small cavern in liquid light, melding and cascading like a harmonic dream, as stunning as it was unexpected. Indigo stared as though witnessing creation, forgetting for a moment to breathe.</p><p>The thick moss carpeting the throat of the low tunnel <em>shone</em>. He'd barely noticed it before. It was impossible not to see it now. Light shifted over the mossy surface, dotted with molten silver dewdrops like stars. Paras from the depths tended the perfect glowing garden, skittering upside down to trim trailing edges short, occasionally squabbling over the lengths with wildly gesturing claws.</p><p>Cloth rustled as Violet sat, rubbing her eyes blearily, her dark hair mussed. She blinked, focusing in on his breathless shock. "Pretty, isn't it?" she murmured, half-asleep. "It's not usually this bright. Must be a full moon."</p><p>Indigo looked away from her smile, regarding the beautiful manifestation of nature once more. "What is this place?" he asked finally, his voice low, as though noise would scare away the light. He wondered how far the glowing moss grew down the tunnels. Maybe it lined the interior of the entire network below them in rainy luminescence.</p><p>"The Shimmermoss Cavern," Violet explained, tasting the word with a smile. "Well, that's what it <em>would</em> be called. If anyone but me knew about it." She changed the subject. "Look, see the Paras? They tend the glowing moss every moonrise – it's safe here, but if you try to go inside while the lights are on, they'll attack. I think the glowing bits lead somewhere, deep within the labyrinth. But the entire tunnel system is filled with moss, and the regular stuff looks just like the glowing kind when the moon sets. I've always wondered where it leads. Maybe I'll never know."</p><p>"It almost sounds like you don't want to find out," Indigo observed quietly. "It only lights up at night? Even though the cave must be dark inside?"</p><p>"That's right," Violet confirmed, laughing quietly at the absurdity. "Darkness isn't the trigger, or else all of it would shine further down. It follows the moonlight that never shines into the cave, defying little things like logic." She fell silent, watching with an air of serenity that defied the horrors she'd faced bare hours ago.</p><p>And for once, his inner struggles went quiet as well. Indigo simply sank to the ground to watch the unexpected and ethereal lights.</p><p>It had only been because the luminous moss shone brighter than the moonlight outside the falls. Seeing his reflection had not been a sign. And yet, he found he didn't care. He just sat and watched, as the Paras tended the moss, witnessing the beauty before him without qualm.</p><p>He continued to watch long after Violet fell back into slumber, his thoughts still, and ignored the reflections behind him.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Smoke rose lazily from the pockmarked earth, tainting the air with the tang of chemical rust. Acidic poison hissed and bubbled from brown clumps of grass, their edges liquefied and oozing. If the battlefield had been damaged before, now it resembled a biohazard waste zone.</p><p>Gleaming white bones stuck out of an oozing mass of black. Scraping noises periodically grated the air, as Dragonite's claws tore a shallow grave from the abused earth. The man responsible for the carnage seemed almost bored.</p><p>"You could dig a little faster," he complained half-heartedly. He threw a poké ball into the air, so badly fractured the top had a gaping hole. It no longer contained a Pokémon anyways. Karo caught the broken sphere with his left hand, throwing it up again, but higher this time. "Or, here's a thought, <em>eat</em> them? It's ridiculous for you to be such a devout vegetarian. It would save a lot of time, and would undoubtedly cost less."</p><p>The scraping sounds continued uninterrupted. Karo sighed, giving up. He pocketed the broken poké ball and stood, stretching his arms with a pop. He stepped carefully over a more dangerous-looking pile of toxic gunk.</p><p>Alakazam sat cross-legged in midair over the battlefield, the space around him rippling with distortion. Twin metal spoons quivered in front of his antique gold face, humming with mental power.</p><p>His partner was sending a telepathic 'message', spread out for three miles in every direction. A subtle impression, just strong enough to be subconscious. <em>Wait out the night.</em> It would be difficult to find the girl in the dark anyhow. While Violet's mind was strong enough to handle a direct assault, a quiet whisper would be able to change her without her even realizing it. He wouldn't have to go out looking for her. And she would remain close by until his preparations were complete.</p><p>Layered on the outside edges of the telepathic bubble was a second message, simpler than the first. <em>Stay away.</em> No human being would enter the radius while the message was being broadcast, unless they were already inside. It was a neat little trick, a simple countermeasure to ensure privacy until the situation was resolved.</p><p>Until Violet Hikari was dead. And she would die, no mistake. Alakazam would remain incapacitated until the morning, but it was well worth the cost.</p><p>It had been a good call, summoning Kabutops. After all, it had been able to attack Terry himself from behind during the battle. The boy's Pokémon had fought bravely, but without their trainer, they had fallen quickly as well. It had been the turning point in what was proving to be a bitter match.</p><p>The orange-eyed man smiled as he came to a stop in front of a prone body in the grass. Terry Slade had seen better days. He lay on his stomach, exposing the long, shallow slash which extended from his right hip to his left shoulder blade, tearing his shirt nearly in two. A dark purple bruise marred the left side of his face, centered on his temple and cheekbone.</p><p>His chest rose and fell sporadically, his breath whispering in and out of his lungs. Kabutops had not struck deep enough to kill, only to wound. It had taken a blow to the head to render the boy unconscious. A hostage, just in case.</p><p>Arcanine had been sent alone to guard the pass leading into Pewter City. If by some chance Violet did make it out of the range of Alakazam's telepathic field, it was his insurance she would not be able to tell his story. Arcanine was a talented hunter. She would not have time to shout, let alone release a Pokémon, if it caught her unawares.</p><p>So much trouble for one little girl. He half-hoped she would at least put up a fight. Otherwise, it would all seem so pointless. Maybe he would take her other Pokémon in addition to the Lucario, if only to get something out of this.</p><p>Karo Asuna looked up at the brilliant tapestry of the sky, admiring the gleaming dusting of silver which adorned the rich blanket of black above. A faint breeze tousled his waved blond hair, and the widely acclaimed hero wondered what it would sound like when that introverted freak of a girl screamed.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Hero's Dream</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: Why am I still doing these you ask, when it is clear I own nothing? I have it under control. I can quit whenever I want to!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>Indigo dreamed of home that night. Not the version of home alight with hatred and death, but the warm, peaceful place it had been before everything. He remembered summer days, the smell of sunflower fields, the taste of hot buttered corn, and the way the sky lit up burgundy on the eve of night. Then there was a smile, filled with warm acceptance and love. Riza had always been like that. Her strength had been the kind that lifted up everyone around her, and made them feel strong too.</p><p>It was the first time he'd dreamt of something <em>happy </em>since being cursed. The sensation lingered as he hovered on the edge of sleep. Reality came back to him slowly, crushing and cold, and Indigo discovered the nightmares had been a blessing compared to this.</p><p>Somehow in the year of nightmares, he'd encased his heart in a shell, protecting himself from the feeling of being happy. He'd felt the pain was something expected, deserved even, but remembering being <em>happy</em> was too much for him to bear. Something had broken in the events of the day before. He had felt like 'Indigo' again. And his traitorous heart was clinging to the sensation.</p><p>It hurt so very much. His soul cried out for the pain of it. The ghost of Riza's smile haunted his thoughts. He had been so careful not to think of it. So much for that.</p><p>Oh, but he would have done anything for her.</p><p>He sat up gingerly, the chilled morning air clearing his mind. The cold helped ground him back in the present. The grey morning light filtered through the sheet of water. He had barely slept, and yet was somehow restless, the urge to move overtaking him. Indigo stood, forcing his stiff limbs into motion.</p><p>Violet slept deeply. Dark smudges adorned the pale skin under her closed eyes; her black hair was tangled with the waxy leaves of the thorn bush she had so recklessly used as protection. The white bandages binding her slashed shoulder and scratched arms were splotched with a muddy red brown. He tried hard not to feel guilty.</p><p>It wasn't as though he knew the girl well anyways. She would be fine. He would go with Karo Asuna only on the condition that Violet lived. She would be better off without him around anyways. All the same, Indigo knew he should leave now, while the girl still slept. He stood, debating internally.</p><p>He could at least make sure she made it to a hospital safely.</p><p>But she could always return him to that infernal master ball if she figured out what he was planning. It was better not to give her the chance.</p><p>After an endless moment caught between the two sides, Indigo sighed in an irritable rush. He bent down before he could think too much, and pulled the blanket Violet had thrown off at some point back to her chin, hiding the bandages from view. He didn't feel much better.</p><p>He wondered for the hundredth time if he was making the right choice. Indigo turned to the path leading around the falls, away from the injured girl and his abandoned master ball, and told himself he was only leaving to get some air. He very nearly believed it.</p><p>Indigo jumped neatly onto the neat semi-circle of flat grey stones lining the walls of the basin. The waterfall hid the cave so perfectly he would not have known it existed had he not been inside. The center of the pool was a deep sapphire blue, disturbed only by the current of the falls. He wondered how deep the water was. The dark blue seemed to promise impossible depths hiding impossible creatures and ancient ruins.</p><p>He shook his head fiercely, ridding it of such strange thoughts.</p><p>He leapt easily from stone to stone, each one jutting high enough out of the water to be dry. By the time he'd completed the half-circle to the exit, his limbs had loosened, warmed by the exercise. The river cut through the stone walls surrounding the basin, and Indigo found he could only avoid a dunking by edging around the thin lip of the cliff. Brown streaks edged the rock at shoulder level.</p><p>The mountains were beautiful in the early morning. He had been utterly incapable of appreciating it when he'd been human. The cold of early morning had clouded his impressions before, making him view the outdoors with abject irritation. As a Lucario, he simply didn't feel the cold the same way. The iron spikes in his fists and chest were the only exception, seeming to absorb the chill.</p><p>Indigo closed his eyes, and the forest melted into silvery blues, blurred at the edges and breathtakingly beautiful. The four sensors under his ears rose as aura swirled around him. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, watching the world careen forward as though he were at a full sprint, despite staying perfectly still. Eventually, his extended vision stopped moving abruptly, as he reached the limits of how far he could see forward. Fierce longing filled him, touched with exasperation at having found his limits yet again. Reluctantly, he broke the connection, and opened his eyes to reality.</p><p>To find himself staring into the blank, dead gaze of the Kabutops.</p><p>Stretching his vision forward had made him blind to what was directly in front of him!</p><p>Indigo struck without thinking, pale blue aura fire bursting around his palm, his center of gravity lowering automatically into a fighting stance. The Kabutops tilted to the side to avoid the blow, slicing upwards with the chipped sickle adorning his arm, hissing in a primordial language. Indigo's second strike shot towards the Kabutops' bronze wedge-shaped head, only to be blocked by twin blades, hastily crossed in front of an empty gaze. Aura spilled from the edges of Indigo's palms as he strained to break through, pushing the scythes inches closer to the monster's head.</p><p>"<em>We did not come to fight</em>," Kabutops hissed in a slithering rasp, the words heavily accented, as though speaking in his second tongue. He paused, as though reconsidering. "<em>We did not come to fight <strong>you</strong>,</em>" he amended.</p><p>Indigo broke off his attack, standing back warily as the Kabutops straightened from the clash. "Explain," he snapped, fury emanating off him in waves. Violet's scream echoed fresh in his memory…</p><p>The Kabutops seemed unaffected by his anger, staring at him with oily blankness.</p><p>"You've come for Violet," Indigo answered instead with growing revulsion, in the wake of the killer's silence. "To finish what you began. You have come to kill her."</p><p>He didn't get the chance to hear the Kabutops' response. Indigo doubled over, clutching his head as a high-pitched keening shook his vision, echoing from somewhere deep inside his head. It <em>hurt</em>, like muscle fatigue in his <em>brain</em>! Reality faded in a different way than he was used to, shimmering into a strange vision.</p><p>He saw Karo Asuna, standing demurely in the sunny clearing, as if he had been transported there in an instant. The image blurred and refocused; it was a psychic message, broadcast over a large area, apparently a favorite of supervillains.</p><p>"Hello, Violet," Karo began, his voice crackling as though filtered through a master ball. "We need to speak. But first, why don't you listen for a while? Let me tell you what's going to happen in the next hour. I'm sure you'll find it interesting…"</p><p>Indigo struggled to break free of the psychic transmission, straining with all his might and mind to regain his sight. It was <em>never</em> a good thing, being trapped in a telepathic field! His sight blurred between the water-slicked riverbank and Karo's faint, arrogant smile.</p><p>He couldn't break free completely. But his efforts were just enough to see that the Kabutops was no longer in front of him!</p><p>Violet was in danger. She was either sleeping, or trapped in the psychic message, unable to even <em>see</em> the enemy coming for her! Horror filled his heart at the thought of such a girl being murdered in cold blood, and the feeling was so powerful it took his breath away.</p><p>Right then, he knew Karo Asuna would never allow her to live. His optimistic ideas of a bargain were nothing more than a fantasy. The revelation was not as surprising as it ought to have been.</p><p>He didn't know this girl. And yet, he did not want her to die. He had seen <em>too much death</em>! And for an instant, Indigo longed fiercely for a future where he did not have to be a monster. Was it worth returning to his time if he had to walk down that road again?</p><p>At once, he was unsure of the answer.</p><p>"Your escape to Pewter City has been cut off. Your friend has been defeated. If you do not obey my instructions to the letter, he will die. It would be a shame for such a talented trainer to be killed, don't you agree? If you can be brave, you can save his life. All you have to do is listen to me…"</p><p>Indigo had heard promises like that before. For an instant, Karo's face changed in Indigo's mind, his orange eyes flickering into coldest black, quietly amused. They were honey-sweet lies, delivered in such a way Violet would feel she had no <em>choice</em>, like she had to do whatever he said, or else people would <em>die</em>! He knew exactly what that felt like, how trapped it could make someone feel!</p><p>Indigo stopped fighting the psychic transmission. He stilled his mind and body, taking a deep, calming breath. And mentally set his own problems aside entirely. This wasn't about him right now.</p><p>Because curse or not, he couldn't watch someone else be forced to play a madman's sick game. Not if he could do anything to stop it!</p><p>Aura exploded from his fur in a shimmering burst so strong his feet lifted off the ground, his eyes glowing icy blue. The psychic power binding his sight dissipated into thin air. Karo's confident arrogance faded, leaving Indigo gasping for breath, but mercifully freed.</p><p>He spun on one heel, activating his extra sight in the same <em>instant</em>, and sprinted with aura-enhanced strength towards Violet's cavern as the Kabutops swam towards the falls. His feet flew, barely touching the rock before throwing him forward another step, back to the encircling steps. These he took two at a time, using every ounce of speed he had.</p><p>Karo's message still hummed against his ears, a constant presence. Alakazam must be relaying it to the entire area. Now that he had broken free once, it was much easier to block out. Every human and Pokémon within Alakazam's range was probably seeing the same thing, trapped until the message ended.</p><p>Everything, except for Kabutops. Perhaps it had been trained just for such an occasion.</p><p>The prehistoric hunter slipped beneath the falls, his sickles pressed tight against his exoskeleton to swim. Without a sound, the creature slipped from the depths on the other side. Water dripped in rivulets down sleek brown carapace, pooling in dark puddles on the already damp stone. The creature focused on Violet in an instant, kneeling stock still against the wall, her eyes frozen wide open.</p><p>Raising a sickle high…before the cursed Lucario struck from the side like a meteor, with a double-handed Force Palm delivered out of a full sprint. The Kabutops' shell armor cracked beneath the force, and Indigo's <em>bones</em> creaked, drops of green ichor raining from the impact. His rough shout of fury echoed around the cavern, and the Kabutops streaked into the opposite wall, hitting with a dull thwack that dislodged a rain of rock dust from the ceiling.</p><p>Indigo straightened, his arms and eyes glowing with aura light, fury adding steel to his gaze. "I think not," he snarled, straightening his stance sharply. A quick look at Violet confirmed his fears. She remained motionless, her reminiscent eyes unseeing, completely unaware of the world around her.</p><p>Stone scraped. The Kabutops dragged himself off the ground in broken movements, never looking away from Indigo. <em>Somehow</em> still conscious! "<em>Foolish decision</em>!"</p><p>Indigo barely had time to register his shock before Kabutops streaked forward with unnatural speed, slashing towards his skull from above with a glowing orange scythe. Indigo caught the blade between clapping palms, unexpected pain arcing through his bones on contact with the shining attack. Straining with every muscle to stop the relentless blade, until it was mere inches away from his skull!</p><p>The Brick Break edged closer, the ground cracked beneath his braced feet, and for the first time Indigo truly understood how powerful Karo's monsters were.</p><p>He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding losing an ear. The blow carved a deep furrow in the stone, as though it were made of butter. Indigo rolled, regaining his footing just as the Kabutops darted towards him.</p><p>This time Indigo's reflexes were faster, as his muscles warmed and his instincts kicked in. He countered the Brick Break with a Force Palm, the two moves cancelling each other out. He dropped low in a fluid motion, kicking out the Kabutops' footing with one leg, keeping his momentum to spin completely back around and rise to a stand all at once. Shadows shrieked around his palms, and Indigo fired a point-blank Dark Pulse without missing a beat. The Kabutops rolled like a pebble in a river, just avoiding the blow, balancing on his hind legs and the tips of his scythes.</p><p>The next moment couldn't have been longer than a heartbeat or two, but time stretched around Indigo, every second an eternity.</p><p>The oily black eyes of the Kabutops shifted almost imperceptibly towards Violet, hesitating. Indigo darted forward, his paws scraping against the bare stone as Kabutops slammed both scythes against the ground, force rippling out in an invisible wave which shuddered through the air like a vast drumbeat.</p><p>Triggering an Earthquake on the battlefield inside the mouth of a <em>cave</em>.</p><p>Indigo's movements were far too slow compared to the adrenaline singing through his mind. He spun on the tip of his foot just as yawning canyons radiated from the Kabutops' scythes - pushing off into the air a <em>split second</em> before the ground convulsed. Boulders crashed down from the roof almost in slow motion.</p><p>Violet did not see or respond to the danger, kneeling perfectly still with a rigid spine. He landed in front of her just ahead of the deadly rain of rock, slamming his fists together. Force exploded outwards into a perfect bubble around them both, careening boulders ricocheting from the surface, which rippled on every impact. Indigo strained with all his might to maintain the Protect against the avalanche, a war cry tearing from his throat, but it wouldn't be enough-!</p><p>The bubble shattered into fading glass just as the rockfall subsided, and Indigo swayed, nearly falling.</p><p>Only to choke as the unsharpened back edge of a scythe slammed against his throat just after his exhale of relief, pinning him against the stone wall.</p><p>The Kabutops regarded him without mercy or remorse. "<em>We would have left you alive,</em>" he hissed in an accented rasp. "<em>You could have been one of us! One of the strong!</em>" He raised a second, suddenly orange scythe, slamming the dull end into Indigo's stomach like a hammer. Stars and sparks shot across his vision, pain exploding from the blow. Indigo would have cried out if he could. "<em>Instead you will die as you are now,</em>" the Kabutops gloated. "<em>Weak! Pitiable!</em>" He accented the stabbing words with two more Brick Breaks to the same spot, and Indigo could not think through the agony!</p><p>Indigo fought the darkness closing in on his sight, and Kabutops leaned in closer. "<em>When we are finished with you, we will kill the girl,</em>" the hunter promised in a whispering slither. "<em>It will be slow. We will not be called back a second time. This cave will echo with her screams, as punishment for defying our Master. She would not be the first to meet such a fate.</em>"</p><p>Indigo struggled to speak, but the pressure of the Kabutops' scythe against his windpipe was too strong. The creature laughed at his struggles, a strange, clacking sound. "<em>Speak!</em>" he commanded, lessening his hold ever so slightly. "<em>Your last words, warrior!</em>"</p><p>Blood surged to his brain uninterrupted again with a heady wave of relief. He spoke in a rough growl, his throat on fire, every word inordinately painful.</p><p>"Your breath was worse than the threats," he choked out harshly. And slammed a desperate, full-strength Force Palm against the surprised Kabutops' chest plate.</p><p>Surging aura strengthened the blow, far stronger when he was injured than fresh into a fight. His last explosive surge of strength sent the Kabutops hurtling back through the waterfall like a comet. Indigo took no chances, his aura vision activating with a crack!</p><p>The monster crashed into the deep waters of the basin beyond the falls, sinking limply as dark liquid seeped from his cracked armor. Spiraling deeper into the endless pit…</p><p>And twitched.</p><p>In a flash, the Kabutops streamed towards the surface, white bubbles trailing his wake. Horror flooded Indigo's mind. Just what <em>was</em> this thing? He hastily sank back into a battle stance, his mind working in overdrive to conjure a strategy that would allow him to finally defeat this monster-!</p><p>If Indigo had been paying more attention, he would have seen the dark shape spiraling up from the depths of the basin.</p><p>As it was, he didn't notice the vicious Gyarados until he snapped Kabutops up in hulking, battle-scarred jaws, breaking the surface with the extra momentum until most of his thirty-foot body broke into the air.</p><p>Indigo watched, hardly believing the evidence of his own eyes. Thick scar tissue marred the deep-blue scales of the monstrous serpent in regular slashes, a testament to countless battles fought and survived. Moss clung to the ridges on his spine. The Gyarados hung suspended for only a moment, before crashing back into the basin, diving far below the surface with his mangled prize.</p><p>He saw then how far down the basin truly went. The deep well opened up into a massive underground reservoir, vents in the submerged cliff walls appeared to connect to the same cave system he was at the mouth of. The entire basin swum with red-orange Magikarp, who fled to small niches in the walls as the Gyarados plunged past them in a sinewy rush, only hesitantly venturing back into open water once the danger had passed.</p><p>What could have stirred a Gyarados of such size from the depths of the subterranean lake? Indigo dully remembered the Earthquake in flashes, and understood. And fell to his knees, his abused muscles finally giving out as he shuddered, wracked by a painful bout of coughing. Cold minerals tinged each breath, dust hanging over the ruined cavern.</p><p>"Indigo?" Violet hushed from behind him, breaking out of her trance. "What <em>happened</em> here?"</p><p>"Now she wakes up," Indigo complained. "Be quiet for a moment." She complied, her face going ashen as she took in the state of the cave. Indigo focused on breathing. The pain in his abdomen faded slowly, and he remembered what had to be done.</p><p>He dragged himself to his feet, trying not to let the damage show. "We're leaving," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm taking you to Pewter City, and we will let the authorities handle things from here. This situation is too dangerous."</p><p>"We can't!" Violet protested instantly, horror flashing over her pale face. "Karo, he…if I don't go to him, he'll-!"</p><p>"Let me venture a guess," Indigo said dryly. "Karo is offering you a chance to save the boy, Terry. If you go and give yourself up, <em>without</em> getting outside help, he will spare Terry's life, who will most likely be forced to undergo a more powerful memory wipe to prevent Karo's secret from getting out. He has promised in exchange for your life, no one else will have to die. Am I missing anything?"</p><p>Violet was silent. He felt numb, completely unsurprised he had guessed correctly. It was what Tero would have asked as well. Manipulative sociopaths had little creativity.</p><p>"Men like that do not honor their promises," Indigo continued with quiet weariness. "He'll kill Terry anyways. This way, you at least might survive. Listen to reason, Violet. Kabutops was here, trying to attack you again. No doubt there are more of his Pokémon prowling the woods nearby. Karo will go back on his word, and kill both you and the boy."</p><p>"He's going to die," Violet whispered, ever so quietly. Childlike. "It would be my fault."</p><p>"No," Indigo refuted her instantly. "No matter what that man said, it would not be your fault. Karo Asuna will deal the killing blow, and so Karo Asuna will be at fault. Never let a man who deals with terror and death make you feel guilt over <em>his</em> actions. Allowing him to control your emotions means he wins. I have seen it before."</p><p>Violet could hear the truth in his words. He saw her struggle against it anyways. She seemed to find her resolve in an instant, standing up to face him directly.</p><p>The master ball held in her outstretched hand. Shock coursed through him as he met her despairing amethyst eyes, so similar to Riza's.</p><p>"You don't understand," she said unsteadily, and he could not help but notice how difficult it seemed to be for her to stand. "It isn't just Terry. If I don't go, he'll send his entire team to destroy Pewter. I have an hour to make it back to the clearing. If I don't, innocent people will pay the price. I <em>can't</em> let that happen!"</p><p>"And you think you can stop him?" Indigo demanded, trying to ignore the sudden <em>fear</em> he felt, faced with his prison again! If she returned him, he would be unable to help, unable to reason with her. It was likely he would be forced to watch his new trainer die from within its confining walls. Like he had nearly done last night. "He will <em>kill</em> you, you idiot girl! Is your life worth so little to you?"</p><p>"I have to try!" she shouted, her normally quiet voice reverberating through the cave. "Don't you get it? Even if I did try and get back to Pewter, even if I did <em>run away</em>, it would take me at least three hours! Terry would die, and Karo's team would be teleported into the city long before I warned <em>anyone</em>!"</p><p>"There are plenty of powerful trainers within the city!" Indigo shouted back hoarsely, finally losing his temper. "They will stop him!"</p><p>"And how many would die before they did?" Violet demanded. "That Dragonite alone killed twenty trainers in Blackthorn! And Karo has <em>others</em> like him. The cost is too high. But if I go, only one person will die, only <em>one</em>…"</p><p>Indigo was already shaking his head, but the truth of what she was saying was sinking in.</p><p>With witnesses alive, Karo faced exposure for what he was. And if he was going to be exposed anyways, why not attack first, destroy as many as possible? It made a twisted sort of sense. But if Violet gave herself up, and if Terry's mind was rewritten, he would be free to continue exactly as he had been, with none the wiser. Even knowing Karo was lying, he understood the logic of the manipulation.</p><p>He'd faced something similar, long ago. And been unable to make the impossible choice, and lose what was most precious to him. Despite the terrible cost.</p><p>But she could. This idiotic, possibly brain-damaged, and incredibly brave girl would fight, and even die to save everyone. He was stunned into silence for a moment. Because he never would have guessed she could be so strong in the face of such a crushing choice.</p><p>He watched her without speaking, as her outstretched hand shook, and she nearly lost her balance. Breathing hard; not from exertion, but from the pain of her wounds. And something in Indigo's heart broke, because this was the girl he had considered abandoning bare hours ago. He set his paw gently over the master ball, covering her hand.</p><p>"Then let me go instead," he offered, quieter this time. "I will fight Karo, and stop him. Nobody will die this day."</p><p>She hesitated on the verge of speaking, to argue or break down, but the words caught in her throat. Despair warred with the desire to hope in her shadowed eyes. Indigo caught his breath, every muscle in his body tense as she wavered.</p><p>"Wait here for twenty minutes. If I can't beat him, only then should you give yourself up," Indigo pushed further, taking advantage of the lull. "There is no harm in allowing me to <em>try</em>." Her hand held tight to the master ball under his paw, shaking with indecision, constantly on the verge of pressing the button and trapping him inside.</p><p>"Trust me, Violet," Indigo begged roughly. "We are partners now. You have done more than enough, and fought harder than anyone could have expected you to. Leave the rest to me. I will not let you down."</p><p>The master ball fell, clattering against the ruined rock as Violet sank to the ground with a moan. She sobbed with fear, pain, or exhaustion, or some combination of the three, sobbed like a child, and Indigo released a shuddering breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He felt the urge to kick the master ball away, but resisted it. She would not attempt to stop him now.</p><p>"Can your other Pokémon fight?" Indigo asked simply, because he had to know. Violet shook her head mutely, killing his budding hope. He did not question her assessment. "Then I will go alone. Do not worry about me. Everything is going to be fine."</p><p>She continued to sob, and Indigo rested his paw on top of her mussed black hair. And confronted by this wounded, crying girl, the cursed warrior realized he'd found something very strong indeed.</p><p>"Wait for me here. I will return when it is finished."</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fight or Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Authors Note: As some of you have noticed, I’ve been letting Pokémon use latent abilities without it being one of their four moves. (Which I am following to limit possibilities in combat.) So you’ll see flying Pokémon able to fly without an HM, or water types swim without Surf, and so on. A few other examples include psychics being able to use telepathy, and create barriers, ghosts passing through walls and possessing things, and so on.<br/>o<br/>Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, despite several failed conquest plans.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>Karo Asuna reclined on the soft green grass, his boyish face tilted up to catch the warm rays of the rising sun. The picture of relaxation, betrayed only by his tense heartbeat. He hated to show weakness, but his darker emotions smoldered just beneath the surface of his calm, plotting and playing out scenarios.</p><p>He hadn't been in such a tense position in <em>years</em>. He'd worked so hard to keep his ambitions a secret, only stealing death-row Pokémon with memory wipes to leave no trace at all, and killing or blackmailing the very few strong enough to resist psychic alterations. Flawlessly, until now. No one questioned his act. He <em>still</em> didn't understand why <em>she</em> had, not that it mattered anymore.</p><p>The more he thought about how she'd tried to destroy him, the darker his fury grew. Death alone was too good for her. First, she had to know <em>he</em> was the stronger one. That he'd outsmarted, outplayed, and out<em>matched</em> her in every way. Anything less was unacceptable. She would come crawling back to die by his hand, <em>knowing</em> she had no real choice.</p><p>And she would never see his calm break. Not even for a second.</p><p>Yes, she would likely take his wager. Her actions betrayed her as the wannabe-hero type. He'd seen it before. It happened often, in this world where even children could become strong using Pokémon. Preteens and teenagers would challenge villains and organizations on their own, never even <em>thinking</em> of involving adults, reckless and arrogant.</p><p>Sometimes, they even succeeded. But not all of those unprepared children got happy endings. Karo's fears melted away as he remembered others he had dealt with successfully.</p><p>And if she ran? His Kabutops or Arcanine would find her before she made it to the city, and drag her still alive to his feet, to die by his hand after seeing Terry perish. Satisfied with his plans, Karo smiled, his relaxed pose becoming more than an act.</p><p>"She'll stop you."</p><p>Karo inclined his head to the side, his unsettling orange gaze flickering over the bloodied wreck who dared to speak. "Who?" he asked, purposefully ignorant and nonchalant.</p><p>Shocking the boy had any fight left, really. Alakazam's message woke him from his fevered slumber, as it had certainly woken Violet. But Terry Slade had seen better days. An angry scabbed gash puckered his back, no longer bleeding, but seeping clear fluid, exposed to the cold mountain air. His arms and legs chafed under tight tent-cord bindings. Terry couldn't even lift his head from the dirt, but he grinned all the same beneath the blood and grime, his voice clear and certain.</p><p>"Violet," he said in response, his fever-bright eyes flashing beneath his bruised temple. "It's been two years…I've been wondering if she would <em>ever</em> recover. You don't know about her…no one does...who would ever guess after all?" He broke off, coughing violently. Karo's smile froze as he spoke.</p><p>"What are you talking about?" he demanded, sitting up with eyes narrowed to slits. "Two years since what?"</p><p>Terry barked out a laugh after his coughing stopped. "Violet Hikari," he said, pronouncing the name carefully. "<em>He</em> always said one day everyone would know the name. He had such <em>faith</em> in her! And I…I hated her for that, you know? It seems childish now, but I couldn't stand my idol acknowledging someone else. I worked so hard, to <em>make</em> him acknowledge me. But after that terrible day in Saffron…nothing was the same…"</p><p>Karo wasn't smiling anymore. He stood, looking down on the beaten trainer. "You would do well to answer my question clearly," he said with deadly coldness. "What dangers does she pose?"</p><p>"I've been keeping an eye on her," Terry continued stubbornly, ignoring Karo's threatening tone. "As a <em>favor</em> to him. I always thought if I got strong enough it would prove once and for all…he should have focused on <em>me</em> from the beginning…"</p><p>Karo slammed his heel into Terry's injured back, grinding down the broken flesh. He was rewarded by an agonized shout. "You. Will. ANSWER!" he commanded, his temper finally flaring! Terry's shout turned to laughter as his breath returned, taking Karo aback with surprise.</p><p>"Something changed! For her to start building a team, after all this time…she's <em>waking up</em>. And her enemies won't stand a chance!"</p><p>"I've changed my mind," Karo announced suddenly, removing a poké ball from his belt. "There isn't a good reason to leave you alive. And to think I was being so generous before, offering to destroy your mind completely, leaving you a vegetable. I shouldn't be so nice. It's bad for business."</p><p>A sunburst formed into a towering Aerodactyl. The battle-scarred creature unfurled leathery wings, blocking the light of the sun. Karo looked at the bleeding genius dispassionately. "Kill him."</p><p>The Aerodactyl bared needle-sharp fangs in a parody of a devouring grin. "Go ahead," Terry challenged, defiant and unyielding to the end. "Do it."</p><p>A furious voice interrupted the crackling moment. "Not another move!" the Lucario snarled, and Karo whirled, having completely forgotten he was expecting company.</p><p>His Aerodactyl's eyes never left the injured teenager, entranced by the smell of blood. Karo's arrogant smile returned, his mask silkily falling into place. The rumors of speech were true, then. "That was faster than I expected," he admitted. His forehead creased sharply. "Where is she?"</p><p>"Violet still has time before your deadline," the Lucario challenged, shifting one foot forward as he lowered his center of gravity. "Why don't <em>I</em> keep you company?" The four sensors under his ears rose into the air with a snap as he closed his eyes. Power boomed from the steely creature, tingling against Karo's skin even from the distance. Bits of grass and rock rose into the air around the Lucario's feet, clearly outlining the whirling sphere of aura surrounding him.</p><p>"So, it's like that is it?" Karo mused out loud. "You truly believe <em>you</em> can beat me all on your own?"</p><p>"I will," the Lucario responded simply, as though it were a truth so clear it was etched into the earth. "Because I cannot lose, I will. I realized something, after beating your Kabutops." Karo flinched at the new piece of information. His Kabutops had actually <em>lost</em>? That monster was nearly his strongest, and had never fallen before, preferring to fight even to the brink of death!</p><p>"What is that?" Karo asked, faking nonchalance to hide his shock.</p><p>"You are weak," the Lucario stated, his words striking like stones. "You capture powerful monsters, murderers, and rejects, building a team of the worst kinds of beings, thinking evil will make you strong. But it's nothing more than a shield. You are trying to prove your strength by hiding behind killers, to disguise the fact that you are something pitiable and sick! Coward! Killing will not make you strong! It only shows how desperate you are to hide your own broken soul!"</p><p>Karo felt the blood drain from his face. "You doubt <em>my</em> power?" He clenched a shaking hand, the depth of his sudden hatred surprising even <em>him</em>. "I'll show you how strong I truly am!"</p><p>Aerodactyl finally turned at his acidic fury, albeit reluctantly. He roared with a cavernous bellow, taking flight into the morning air, circling in anticipation. The Lucario tensed as he prepared to do battle. But Karo did not immediately give his Pokémon orders.</p><p>Weak? <em>Him</em>?</p><p>The words brought back memories he didn't want to relive. But for a moment, Karo couldn't stop them.</p><p>He could never remember his father's face entirely. His eyes remained in shadow, long forgotten, but that arrogant slash of mouth, ugly and hard would never leave his mind. Neither would the broken sobs of his stepmother, the only person who'd ever cared for him. Karo remembered throwing himself on his father's Feraligatr, trying to stop it from attacking his stepmother and her Kadabra, remembered blinding, slashing pain in his arm. And then a scream of defiance, followed by shattering glass and a thud.</p><p>"<em>It's your fault. If you hadn't gotten in the way, I never would have done it! It's your fault! I'll kill you!"</em></p><p>He remembered the sound of his father's knees hitting the ground, and his body crashing against the tile. His stepmother's newly evolved Alakazam had lowered his spoon as the cowardly Feraligatr fled, looking at the bruised and beaten ten-year-old with cold sable eyes. The moment she died from that bottle, Kadabra had belonged to him. Evolving to protect him, finally murdering the man his first trainer hadn't had the courage to kill. Karo had fled, fearing retribution from the police, but no one ever came.</p><p>Weakness was an ugly drunk, a cowardly bully, and those unwilling to strike down their enemies without mercy or remorse. Weakness was helplessness, a lack of overwhelming battle power, and men who <em>allowed</em> others to look down on them!</p><p>He wasn't the same helpless child he'd been all those years ago. Karo's face twisted into an ugly sneer.</p><p>And all at once, he decided he <em>would</em> kill this Lucario after all…</p><p>~o~</p><p>Indigo had forgotten what it felt like, to really fight for something. In the past, he'd given everything he had to fight Tero Akkarin. He felt like a different person when he had a reason to fight. Someone stronger and braver than Indigo Nightwalker. Someone who could not lose.</p><p>A hero. But this time was different than the night of his final doomed battle.</p><p>This time, Indigo knew <em>fear</em>.</p><p>He had fought and lost once before, and he knew it could happen again. Because losing was a possibility, Indigo would have to try harder, fight longer, and give everything he had in this one struggle.</p><p>Failure was an option, and that was why success was worth fighting for.</p><p>The power surging through his fists intensified, and Indigo closed his eyes.</p><p>Aerodactyl roared a murderous challenge from the sky above, hovering right in front of the sun….and <em>diving</em> at Karo's arrogant orders. Indigo took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, centering himself.</p><p>Translucent crescent blades surged free from the Aerodactyl's wings as a dark shadow passed over Indigo. He stepped to the side neatly, letting the Air Slash carve twin furrows into the ground, reading the flow of aura pulsing between the earth and skies – and whirled, gathering power in his lungs as the Aerodactyl winged close for another strike. His Dragon Pulse tore from his mouth in a tornado of screaming blue, knocking the Air Slash away, and battering the Aerodactyl backwards in the same blow.</p><p>The Aerodactyl's dark aura barely flickered, the attack weakened terribly by distance. Indigo gritted his teeth. The thing had his range now, and stayed above it, regular crescent blades slicing the tattered grass to ribbons. He dodged in a constant dance, his mind ablaze.</p><p>He needed altitude. Except he couldn't fly. At all. Why couldn't his curse have involved wings?</p><p>Dodging bladed Air Slashes, Indigo darted beneath the cover of the trees, arms stretched out behind him. Wood snapped and tore, a shower of leaves raining from the canopy as the living fossil attacked the quick glimpses he got of him below. Indigo never slowed, gathering as much speed as he could muster, sprinting straight for a looming cottonwood…</p><p>The Aerodactyl circled warily in search, unconsciously dropping lower to the treetops, his shadow rippling over the leaves as though on water. Indigo ran straight up the trunk with aura-enhanced speed, leaping off near the top to backflip towards the flying monster. The cursed warrior met the Aerodactyl's eyes for a brief moment, suspended in midair…and howled a Dragon Pulse at full power, the sheer destructive force shooting him backwards even as it exploded against the Aerodactyl's stomach like a cannon.</p><p>Wind shrieked around his ears as he careened back. Indigo spun, the ground of the clearing rushing up to meet him, fiercely wishing he'd had a plan for <em>surviving</em> his reckless attack!</p><p>Bladed wind struck his back as he finished the thought, and Indigo choked in pain. The meadow rushed to meet him in a dizzying blur, when his momentum <em>reversed</em>, the Aerodactyl jerking him upwards by one leg, and letting him drop again without breaking flight.</p><p>Indigo slammed his fists together in a Protect as the monster winged closer, disoriented and spinning! But the attack he expected never came, the Aerodactyl shining scarlet against the sky like a beacon. Tendrils of aura cracked against the earth, tearing chunks of ground and rock free, slamming against him from below the instant his Protect shattered, with such force it felt like his spine would break. Darkness crushed the edges of his vision, the sharp fangs of the Aerodactyl rushing to devour him-</p><p>Indigo pushed off the chunk of rock with seconds to spare, the Aerodactyl's jaws crushing the stone like brittle glass behind him. He landed on another floating island, leaping between the remaining stones. Using the Ancient Power as steppingstones, he grabbed the Aerodactyl's neck and swung onto his back fluidly. The thing convulsed wildly, bucking and whirling as Indigo held on tight, slamming repeated Force Palms to the same spot over and over again.</p><p>At Karo's shouted orders, Aerodactyl folded his wings and fell like a stone, corkscrewing towards the ground.</p><p>The momentum was too much. Indigo was ripped from the Aerodactyl's back, getting in one final Force Palm before the winds stole him away. And as he fell, Indigo shouted his defiance with a Dragon Pulse, striking right at the base of one of Aerodactyl's newly-unfurled wings. A shriek of pain pierced the dawn skies as Indigo slammed his fists together, cracking against the ground.</p><p>The dust cleared from his impact, and Indigo's Protect shattered into crystalline shards. Indigo panted, blood roaring through his ears, releasing his strained aura vision for a precious moment with a rush of heady relief. The Aerodactyl cried from above, circling lower on his obviously injured left wing, and landed heavily, unable to close the wounded wing. He keened wildly, until his eyes snapped to Indigo.</p><p>Cold rage billowed from the thing like the wind, and chills inadvertently shot down Indigo's spine.</p><p>"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," he scoffed, mostly to himself. "I only hit it a dozen times in a dangerous aerial battle. I'm obviously not trying hard enough."</p><p>He gathered himself, darting forward to attack the wounded monster head on.</p><p>Activating his aura vision again,<em> far too soon</em>, but he had no choice! Indigo threw his shoulders back, narrowly avoiding snapping jaws as he tried to get in close enough to strike. He leapt high without looking, a tail whipping below him, firing a Dragon Pulse both to attack, and to propel himself out of range of a bladed wing slash.</p><p>He flipped once before landing, pushing off the ground immediately to strike again. Blue fire boiled behind the Aerodactyl's bared fangs, lighting deep within his cavernous throat. A jet stream of crimson-edged blue flames melted the scorched earth in a line in front of him, hot on his heels as he jumped back to dodge. Indigo tensed as aura surged, slamming chunks of Ancient Power aside with a barrage of pinpoint Force Palms – <em>immediately</em> dropping into a roll, a bladed wing slashing where his neck had been.</p><p>All in the few <em>seconds</em> he'd attacked the grounded beast.</p><p>Midnight-blue light seared between the Aerodactyl's fangs yet again, but instead of retreating, Indigo dashed <em>forward</em> impulsively, his survival instinct screaming against the move!</p><p>He dove forward, avoiding the cauldron-hot stream by bare inches, the heat alone searing his fur. Indigo rolled, slamming his shining palm beneath Aerodactyl's gaping jaws as he rose, snapping them closed around the blue fire with a painful crack!</p><p>Aerodactyl's head careened upwards, black smoke seeping from his jaws. The winged monstrosity didn't even make a sound, crumpling to the earth in an unconscious heap. The cursed Lucario sidestepped neatly, predicting the fall with aura, and turned to face Karo with a savage grin.</p><p>It took his enemy a long moment to process the end result of the first round.</p><p>"Such a partner you would have made," Karo said finally, fiercely wistful. "It's almost a shame you're going to die here today. Almost."</p><p>"I'm not here to talk," Indigo growled, moving one foot backwards to fall into a fighting stance. "Release your next killer, and I'll avenge every person they've ever hurt, here and now.</p><p>Karo smiled sadly, returning the fallen Aerodactyl. "You're welcome to try. Alakazam!"</p><p>Indigo moved the moment the Alakazam burst to the field, darkness spinning around his iron fists! A midnight scythe edged in violet broke free from his fists, trailing a sound like hollow screams, but the golden Alakazam didn't flinch. Aura gave his opponent away just before he teleported to the side, the destructive scythe slicing trees in two across the destroyed meadow.</p><p>…where the Alakazam reformed right in the path of the second Dark Pulse, fired before he had teleported in the first place. Black wisps rose lazily from Indigo's palms, and he grinned despite the fact that he was fighting for both his life and Violet's.</p><p>Powerful abilities were <em>not</em> cheating in true battle. Aura flickered in shadow images where the Alakazam considered teleporting, trying to throw him off balance by changing his plans at the last second-</p><p>Shadows swirled around his palms once more, and Indigo dashed forward almost faster than the eye could follow, attacking the Alakazam with black-coated fists, using the Dark Pulse to strengthen his blows rather than releasing it. The Alakazam dodged each punch by inches, reading the future just like he read aura, but Indigo's body was <em>faster</em>, and each blow came closer-</p><p>Alakazam's pewter spoon pulsed with nauseating power, and all at once he <em>couldn't move</em>. Indigo froze, his Dark Pulse-coated fist suspended inches from Alakazam's head.</p><p>Unseen power condensed into malleable gravity, hurling him backwards like a rag doll. Indigo fired his Dark Pulse as he careened through the air, forcing Alakazam to aim his Shadow Ball to deflect the blow rather than striking towards him. It was enough to break his concentration on the Psychic, releasing Indigo. Grass furrowed around his paws as he skidded backwards, slamming his fists together just before another Psychic struck, the bubble rippling like mad.</p><p>His aura vision <em>screamed</em>, but he didn't dare let it drop! The blue ghost of the Alakazam appeared behind him a full two seconds before the golden creature blinked out of being and Indigo whirled, darkness condensing around his spiked palms-</p><p>As a figure moving like a sunburst struck him from the side, knocking him across the field.</p><p>The dust and shadows cleared, and Indigo was faced with the fang-filled grin of an Arcanine, Alakazam appearing right at his side.</p><p>"I never said this was a one-on-one battle," Karo drawled from the sidelines. "Arcanine, you got back here faster than even <em>I</em> expected. Your speed is exceptional, as always-"</p><p>Power flashed around Alakazam before Karo finished speaking, striking a nullifying blow through Indigo's heart. The shadows around his fists vanished, and though he cursed he could not summon them again.</p><p>A disabled move, against <em>two</em> opponents instead of one.</p><p>Lovely.</p><p>Karo must have summoned Arcanine from the hunt with Alakazam's telepathic abilities. If Violet had stayed behind the waterfall, the fiery hunter couldn't possibly have reached her. But still, the tension in his heart eased, knowing no more killers stalked her in the mountains.</p><p>He cursed himself for not paying enough attention to his surroundings. This was the second time he'd been caught unawares by one of Karo's Pokémon, all because he was focusing too much on something else with his aura vision. Perhaps he was relying on it too heavily.</p><p>But if he stopped, he would lose. Indigo gritted his teeth, ignoring the stabbing tension behind his eyes as he forced aura through his mind. He raised his fists in challenge, refusing to be daunted.</p><p>Fire exploded around the Arcanine in a burning cloak, casting firelight on the scarred earth. The shaggy monster bounded towards him with <em>inconceivable</em> speed. Indigo barely had time to react, even with his aura vision, dodging without a prayer of counterattacking in the lull…</p><p>Alakazam sat cross legged in midair, slowly raising his psychic abilities with Calm Mind. Indigo cursed as he noticed, dodging snapping jaws as he fired a weakened, too fast Dragon Pulse towards the psychic. He was only trying to break his concentration, but the blow struck true, doing barely any damage to the boosted telepath.</p><p>Gold seared molten across Alakazam's eyes, and psychic power caught Indigo in midair, his bones creaking. Behind him, the Arcanine used Howl, sharply raising his Attack stat.</p><p>They were using each other to boost their power, and Indigo couldn't do a thing about it!</p><p>Arcanine's Flare Blitz broke his train of thought, the fire lighting his steel bones with agony, worse by far than any attack today! Indigo cursed the type weakness in the tiny corner of his brain not screaming. Flying backwards, into the path of Alakazam's boosted Shadow Ball – his fists connected just in time, the malevolent ball bouncing off his shield to careen into the heavens above. Indigo landed heavily, skidding across the ruined earth.</p><p>As the Arcanine let out a Howl once more, and Alakazam used a second Calm Mind.</p><p>The tiniest bit of mortal fear lodged in his heart…</p><p>But the battle song continued, and his muscles knew the steps by heart. Curling smoke burned his lungs with every breath, and Indigo leapt and ducked, striking wherever his aura vision gleaned an opening. Snapping jaws met striking palms, as psychic ropes tried to bind his legs, always just a second behind. Indigo ducked, his arm snapping out in a tiny lull against the Arcanine's thick fur, knocking the creature momentarily off his feet with aura-infused strength. He snarled, firing a Dragon Pulse towards the Alakazam, interrupting a third Calm Mind, but it didn't do practically <em>anything</em>-</p><p>Karo Asuna laughed from the sidelines, pausing in giving orders to enjoy Indigo's pain. "You cannot beat this!" he gloated, as Alakazam read his mind for another attack. From the start of the battle, Karo had only given verbal orders to Arcanine, letting Alakazam take instruction directly from his mind. He was arrogant as always, believing he could not lose!</p><p>And Indigo was afraid he might be right.</p><p>"Give up, Lucario," Karo crooned. "Let the girl die. It will be so much easier. She's just one person. People die every day. What difference does one more life make?"</p><p>"It makes all the difference in the world," Indigo retorted, his aching palms striking away yet another attack. "This world is made up of <em>individuals</em>, not statistics. Those who ignore that deny their own value. We are all one life, one person, and that matters."</p><p>The Disable slowly dissolved, and Indigo knew a Dark Pulse could finally defeat the Alakazam, if only he could use it! But Arcanine would only keep him busy, and one more head-on attack would destroy him for certain. Alakazam's aura pulsed, more strongly connected to Karo's than any of his other partners…</p><p>And then Indigo had an idea.</p><p>He dashed forward, skipping around Arcanine's crushing jaws, changing the direction of his Dark Pulse at the last instant, towards <em>Karo himself</em>.</p><p>The obnoxious blond's smile vanished, darkness reflecting in his orange eyes.</p><p>Reality bent and popped, Alakazam appearing directly in front of his trainer with crossed spoons. The darkness shrieked for blood, exploding with terrible force against the already-wounded psychic in a critical blow. Indigo heard the mental scream as his enemy's mind collapsed in on itself in pain and silenced.</p><p>Alakazam fell, his angular head cracking against a stone, and Karo's emotions on the tide of aura sent Indigo staggering back for a disorientating moment.</p><p>"You…" Karo said in a deathly quiet whisper, rising to a shout! "You'll <em>pay</em> for that!"</p><p>Arcanine mirrored the howl of his master – and <em>vanished</em>.</p><p>Indigo soared backwards, blood flying out of his mouth, but he hadn't even <em>seen</em> his enemy, and how had he even been hit?</p><p>Before he found an answer, he was struck again from the right, wind screaming around his pointed ears. The force alone threatened to snap him in two, but his aura vision caught the faintest premonition trail to his left that time-</p><p>In the second before the final moment, Indigo accepted his loss. And resolved to fight to the bitter end regardless. His palm shone with aura, flaring brighter in response to his damaged body, striking the Arcanine's Extreme Speed head on. Incredible force rocked his entire body, the combined force of his own attack and his enemy's rocketing momentum.</p><p>Arcanine howled in terrible pain, careening backwards. Indigo shouted too, rough with agony, fire radiating from his snapped right arm.</p><p>It took them both a moment to even think of fighting again.</p><p>Karo's furious orders broke the red haze – Arcanine shook himself off, keening pathetically from the injury, blood streaming from his broken nose. Fire burst around his heavy pelt, and he barreled towards Indigo once more.</p><p>Indigo pushed his own pain away desperately, firing a Dragon Pulse directly towards the Arcanine barreling towards him. The blue cyclone clashed against the flames, breaking off to the sides as Arcanine powered straight through the attack, coming at him with strength he could not stop!</p><p>Indigo broke off the cyclone and dove to the side, fire singeing his tail as the living sunburst burned past. He rolled onto his broken arm, yelping at the sharp pain.</p><p>Exhaustion made it difficult to stand again. Indigo lurched to a crouch, breathing heavily, his aura vision flickering madly between normal sight. Darkness edged both visions in time with his hollow heartbeats.</p><p>He closed his eyes in utter resignation as the Howl of the Arcanine roared against the mountains. He could <em>feel</em> the power rushing off the creature in the air, making his hair stand on end like a lightning storm. Fire burst around the Arcanine one last time, and Indigo knew he could not dodge again.</p><p>He stood wearily as the Arcanine ate up the ground between them in three bounding strides, holding his broken arm with his left. His resolve had nearly burned away in the battle. Indigo simply felt tired.</p><p>He wanted nothing more than for this to be over. But this was also a point he was familiar with. His actions now, when he was beaten and weak, whether or not he could move <em>despite</em> that, would determine the outcome. He didn't know if he could. But he would try.</p><p>Indigo took a deep breath of cold mountain air, and ran directly towards the flaming monster trying to kill him.</p><p>Anticipation gleamed in the thing's eyes as he got closer, and then-</p><p>Indigo skidded <em>beneath</em> the Arcanine in a slide, howling a Dragon Pulse upwards and blowing the monster off his feet and into the air.</p><p>Small fires smoldered around him, as he heard rather than saw the splintering crash as the wounded Arcanine broke a tree on impact. Indigo didn't care yet, taking a few seconds just to breathe. Wondering if he could get up again.</p><p>Indigo groaned in annoyance, using his uninjured arm to brace himself up off the ground. And stood, ignoring the fact that his entire body shuddered as if frostbitten, not even looking at the unconscious Arcanine smoking in a heap.</p><p>He met Karo's eyes grimly, raising his unbroken arm in a clear gesture.</p><p>
  <em>Come on then. </em>
</p><p>Karo stared at him with what could only be called bitter regret. But he didn't ask Indigo to join him again, returning the Arcanine to a dented great ball etched with a scrawled, childish signature – <em>Max</em>. Neither spoke for a long moment.</p><p>And Karo smiled. He walked nonchalantly over to Violet's beaten yellow backpack, and removed a strange cream bottle bubbling with vivid green liquid. He tossed it at Indigo's feet.</p><p>"Heal yourself," Karo instructed, his smile cold and mocking as he hooked his hands in his pockets. "You're going to need it."</p><p>"Why?" Indigo asked, genuinely surprised, suspicion thick in his voice. The bottle could be poison for all he knew. Then again, if the bottle had hit him, never mind poison, he might have keeled over then and there. A gust of wind might do the same.</p><p>"I want to show you…<em>true power</em>," Karo sneered with easy arrogance. "You <em>are</em> strong. I won't deny it. Heal yourself now, or die here. Violet's time limit is almost up. Let's make the most of the minutes we have left."</p><p>Indigo had just taken out four of Karo's partners. He only had one remaining that Indigo could sense. And yet he was willing to return him to full strength, and fight him with a single Pokémon?</p><p>He didn't like it. Something was off.</p><p>But Indigo didn't have much of a choice. He bent down, picking up the bottle which read 'Full Restore' in neat letters, spraying the fine green mist onto his broken arm. He could <em>feel</em> his metal bone knitting back together, as sweet coolness extinguished the pained heat of his arm. His vulpine eyes widened at how effective the modern medicine was.</p><p>He'd eaten several wild sitrus berries on the way here to restore his strength after fighting Kabutops. But their healing was nowhere near this powerful, or fast acting. His burned flesh healed quickly, and his headache receded to cool relief.</p><p>He let the bottle drop, filled with power anew. Aura surged in a sphere of whirling strength as he flexed his mind experimentally, his eyes shining icy blue. Indigo grinned, clenching his fists with a small burst of purified aura. "You'll regret that," he promised, and meant it. His opponent was arrogant, and it would be his downfall.</p><p>"We'll see about that," Karo drawled, tossing a sphere underhanded into the air. "Dragonite!"</p><p>Indigo had always thought Dragonite looked comical and chubby. This one was no exception, large and yellow, with ludicrously tiny wings sprouting from his upper back. Twin antennae curled from a bulbous head. The dragon could have been a toddler's clay sculpture.</p><p>So why then…did those empty eyes give him such chills?</p><p>"Dragon Dance," Karo deadpanned. He sat cross legged on the ground, leaning back on his palms to look at the clouds. Terry lay beside him, having fallen back into fevered unconsciousness during the battle.</p><p>Indigo was <em>not</em> about to let the dragon set up! He buried his irritation at being taken so lightly, sprinting forward with a Dragon Pulse shrieking from his gaping mouth. The Dragonite flexed, a swirling tornado of red haze and lightning erupting around him as he summoned godly power from the cosmos. Dragon Pulse shattered against his yellow hide, and Indigo felt a thrill of success-</p><p>Claws wrapped in a stranglehold around his throat all at once, cutting off his air. The smoke from his attack streamlined from where the Dragonite <em>had</em> been, but nothing could have moved so fast, it wasn't <em>possible</em>!</p><p>But it had happened, as surely as the claws around his throat. Indigo tore and fought instinctively as his air was cut off, to no avail, blood pressure building higher in his head like the roaring seas. His feet hung off the ground, lifted as easily as a scarecrow.</p><p>"Sky Drop," Karo ordered nonchalantly, yawning with fake emphasis. "Don't kill him on the first blow."</p><p>Dragonite grabbed his head with one deceptively large paw, claws tightening around his skull like a vice, and Indigo's stomach <em>dropped</em> as they rocketed upwards faster than he'd ever traveled before! He cried out, his spine threatening to crack apart from the sheer force. A Dragon Pulse careened wildly from his mouth, missing its target and searing off into the vast blue sky.</p><p>Indigo saw with one eye through the claws of the Dragonite as the light blue of the sky deepened to dark twilight as they soared impossibly high, could f<em>eel</em> frost crackling over his fur in the abrupt violent chill. The frigid air thinned to a whispered memory, the ground below nothing more than a patchwork map. The world was laid bare, small and inconsequential below. A spiral stream of water vapor hung in the path of the Dragonite's sudden ascension, carried along with them after breaking through wispy clouds.</p><p>They finally reached a peak, hanging for a brief moment in that aerial world of cold and wind. Completely weightless. And then Dragonite dropped like a stone, beating his wings twice in powerful bursts to send them flying even <em>faster</em> down than they'd gone on the way up. Air howled in protest, trying to halt their progress. And as the mountains rushed back to meet them, two shockwaves exploded from their dive, booming outwards and distorting the clouds.</p><p>Indigo was very certain he was going to die. Thoughts of counterattacking were nowhere to be found in his panicked mind, as sheer terror took over. His skull felt like it would be broken in half by the vice grip of those claws, and if it wasn't, he was sure his neck would snap instead. And that wasn't even considering how hard he was going to hit the ground!</p><p>He had a moment to say his goodbyes in his mind as he prepared to be an Indigo-shaped crater in the mountains above Pewter City. But a few hundred feet above the earth, the Dragonite's wings snapped outward, slowing their momentum to a speeding car rather than a world-shattering meteorite. The boom from their impact was still enough to knock leaves from the trees.</p><p>Indigo couldn't move for a long moment after the attack.</p><p>The dust cleared lethargically. Dragonite hovered lazily in the air above him, as if wondering if it was over already.</p><p>"Do you understand, Lucario?" Karo Asuna asked, seemingly just as unworried as his dragon. The obnoxious prick had taken out a book. "This battle was over the moment you stepped out to face me. This is why I never healed my other Pokémon. I didn't need to. I thought I would allow you to try, at least, before your death."</p><p>Indigo had always hated when his opponents spoke with such mocking arrogance.</p><p>But the numbness in his limbs made it difficult to be angry. He <em>knew</em> pain was coming, but he seemed to be in shock. Ringing blared with every heartbeat, blackness crushing his vision.</p><p>Indigo stood shakily, blood trickling from the indents those claws had made in his skull. He felt dizzy, before remembering he had to breathe. The air helped, as his mind cleared, and pain trickled in from every part of his body.</p><p>Despite being hit with his Dragon Pulse earlier, the Dragonite seemed completely unharmed. A blank, unfeeling monster.</p><p>It took Indigo a long moment to make his decision.</p><p>He settled back into a fighting stance. Ignoring his shaking arms and closing his eyes, both to activate his aura vision, and to stop blood from dripping into them. The four sensors under his ears shook and rose, defying gravity.</p><p>"Very well then," Karo said softly.</p><p>Dragon Pulse tore from Indigo's mouth, bursting against the Dragonite's chest. The howling power broke harmlessly across his scales, as effective as silvery water, but the thing whirled in midair with a metallic-silver tail, slamming him across the clearing as if he were nothing at all.</p><p>Indigo cracked against the ground twice in his flight, digging a paw into the ground to arrest his momentum, tearing a dark furrow in the abused earth. He howled another Dragon Pulse, silver aura flashing through his eyes – and <em>missed</em>, as the creature seemed to appear above him with unbelievable speed!</p><p>"Outrage!" Karo commanded, and fire-red energy erupted around the Dragonite's scales. Indigo rolled to the side an <em>instant</em> before those crushing claws could slam into his chest.</p><p>The blow struck the ground instead, tearing yawning cracks across the clearing with an earth-shuddering groan, wide enough to swallow someone whole. Indigo couldn't tell how deep they went.</p><p>Another Dragon Pulse hit the rampaging monster dead on, sheer power burning Indigo's throat raw as he used the attack again.</p><p>He didn't dare use any other move. Anything less than super effective would get him killed. He might get killed anyways.</p><p>The Dragonite batted the supposedly super-effective attack away as though it were an offending mote of dust, bursting towards him faster than the speed of sound. Indigo's Protect was just in time. It was pounded so hard down from above, the circular bubble made a hole in the ground nearly as deep as Indigo was tall. And as it broke, he found himself staring out of the grave he'd just created for himself into the empty eyes of an unstoppable, murderous dragon.</p><p>He shouted another Dragon Pulse directly upwards, and the Dragonite surged through it to grab him once more. The living calamity didn't even bother flying upwards again, opting instead to throw Indigo like a doll into the forest.</p><p>Luckily, his fall was broken by a tree.</p><p>When that snapped, it was stopped by another one.</p><p>He picked himself up just in time to see the red energy fade from the Dragonite's eyes, replaced by a confused, dull haze. Karo tossed him a persim berry, and those flat eyes became clear once more. He refocused on Indigo, and he felt like his heart might stop.</p><p>For a brief moment, Indigo considered running away.</p><p>Karo seemed to notice. The smirk on his face said what Indigo already knew.</p><p>
  <em>Go ahead. We'll catch you anyways. </em>
</p><p>He no longer wondered how Terry had lost. He was shocked the boy had put up a fight at all.</p><p>The cursed warrior lost count of the blows he took after that.</p><p>Dragonite didn't seem to be trying to knock him out, hitting him instead with consecutive Iron Tail attacks, which while painful, were not enough to send him into oblivion. He <em>thought</em> he fought back, during that haze of sharp pain and crushed muscle, but wasn't completely certain. He couldn't seem to grasp the memories all the way.</p><p>He bounced off the earth in the center of the clearing, skidding to a stop on his side. He coughed harshly, hacking up blood. Indigo lifted himself to his knees with one hand, and from there to his feet. He couldn't open one eye all the way. He was certain he'd broken some ribs…</p><p>Karo was no longer smiling.</p><p>"Why do you still fight?" he demanded, almost repulsed by his unyielding, <em>hopeless</em> resolve. "Dragonite is invincible. Do you honestly still think you can win?</p><p>Indigo wondered the same thing.</p><p>"I'm going to kill you," Karo promised, as Dragonite's Iron Tail slammed Indigo back into the unforgiving ground. He cried out, and Karo continued. "I considered bringing you with me in the beginning, but to be honest this whole trip to Pewter has been a serious liability. I'm going to wipe my tracks and disappear for a while. I'll kill that simpering little teenager, Violet, and Terry too. I think I'll release an Abomasnow with a taste for flesh into the city a few weeks from now...for good measure. Retribution, since I was put in such a bad position, even if it was only for a few hours."</p><p>Indigo dragged himself to his feet again, without knowing why. The iron spike in his left paw hung off like a broken nail, nearly ripped off and dripping with red. Every inch of him was bruised under his fur.</p><p>Indigo raised his left arm, despite it being in nearly as much pain as his broken right, lowering his center of gravity to fight. He managed to activate his now-blurry aura vision on the second try. Dragonite's aura was completely black, something Indigo had never seen before.</p><p>Here he was, about to lose the vital battle for a second time.</p><p>He was quite a failure as a hero. He never could seem to do it right.</p><p>Guilt burned wearily through his chest, and Indigo hoped Violet had run somewhere far away. He'd tried so hard to save her, if only so he could convince himself he was still on the right side. He might've been better off if he'd run away too. But somehow he was glad he hadn't.</p><p>Thoughts of his promise to Violet brought nothing but bitterness to his heart. What more could he do at this point? Bleed on his enemy?</p><p>Indigo realized he was tilting dangerously to the side, and only just righted himself. Karo laughed at him.</p><p>He wasn't much of a hero. But Indigo could at least attempt to land one last blow. He grasped at that one small goal, promising himself he could rest if he only did that much more. Aura surged around his legs, strengthening his battered muscles with his final resolve, and Indigo dashed straight towards the deathly black aura of the Dragonite.</p><p>He stopped worrying about move types, only focused on landing something, <em>anything</em> at all. A Dark Pulse surged from his fists, hitting the Dragonite across the chest. His enemy didn't seem to notice, grabbing his arm.</p><p><em>Just one more</em>.</p><p>As he lifted him to throw across the battlefield once more, Indigo struck out with a Force Palm, hitting the Dragonite's shoulder. He was thrown anyways, and stars danced when he struck the ground. Still, Indigo got up.</p><p>Just one more attack!</p><p>A Dragon Pulse ripped from his throat, and it burned from overuse! The Dragonite stepped carefully to the side over a crack in the earth, not caring as the attack glanced off his hide anyways.</p><p>Indigo gathered every ounce of strength he had left, which wasn't much. Aura swirled around him in a haze, shining stronger the more damage he took. It was powerful and <em>alive</em>, in a way he could never explain, connecting him to the heartbeat of the planet itself.</p><p>Something snapped then, his instincts bursting with clarity.</p><p>One last attack.</p><p>Indigo opened his eyes, and they shone brilliant blue with the strength of his soul. He could no longer use Dragon Pulse, but his body seemed to know exactly what to do, without him knowing how. Swirling aura condensed itself into a whirling sphere of power, taking shape like living sky between his palms. Indigo shouted his defiance in a wordless cry, and the Aura Sphere exploded from his paws like a shooting star, spinning and dancing in a ball of pure energy, trailing shimmering sparks of silver.</p><p>Dragonite's empty eyes grew just a fraction wider, as if surprised to see the condensed righteous fury rocketing towards him.</p><p>And as the attack careened closer, making his winged shadow yawn huge and black, Indigo's opponent did something entirely unexpected!</p><p>He <em>fled</em>, surging up into the sky with a powerful burst of his small wings!</p><p>Too late, as the Aura Sphere curved upwards to follow the Dragonite as if drawn to the blackness of his being. It hit with a <em>thundercrack</em>, and a shockwave radiated out over the area, bending the trees until they groaned and popped like fireworks.</p><p>The Dragonite fell from the sky almost in slow motion. At the same moment, Indigo was drained of power so completely he could no longer stand. He fell to his knees, his muscles effectively turned to water.</p><p>What was <em>that</em>‽</p><p>A small part of his brain noted that he had won. Indigo was past caring.</p><p>Dragonite hit the earth, and tremors radiated outwards from the impact. All was silent, as the crack of collision echoed across the mountains and faded away like fitful rolling thunder.</p><p>And then Karo laughed, that horrible laugh, bending over double as if it were the funniest thing on the planet.</p><p>Indigo glanced up at him wearily, wondering if he had the energy for a snarky comment. He decided he had better things to use his brain's energy for, like breathing, and not dying. He waited, knowing Karo would tell him why he was laughing anyways, whether he wanted him to or not.</p><p>"I <em>never</em> thought…never, in my wildest hopes...! It's partially my Dragonite's fault. He doesn't feel pain you see, and simply doesn't care enough to dodge. It can be difficult to gauge how badly damaged he is. It's rarely an issue, since so few things can actually manage to knock him out!"</p><p>He was being praised. How nice. Indigo wondered if he would get a ribbon of some kind.</p><p>"But it doesn't matter, you see," Karo said, grinning like a madman. "It doesn't matter…not even a little bit."</p><p>And he pulled out a pitch-black poké ball from his bag, scarred with jagged red lines that pulsed in a slow, audible heartbeat.</p><p><em>That</em> got Indigo's attention. He hadn't sensed another Pokémon! Even now, he couldn't feel anything coming from the strange sphere.</p><p>But the air felt colder somehow. Even the sun seemed a little less bright.</p><p>He couldn't fight anymore. Indigo had done <em>everything</em> he could. He wasn't enough to finish this battle on his own, just like he hadn't been enough to stop Tero! Alone he was strong, but never strong <em>enough.</em></p><p>Karo's words were carelessly arrogant, as if he had been waiting for this all along. He probably had. "With this, everything ends. Not just you. Pewter, too. I can't control this. No one can! Prepare yourself for death, and for the end of this corner of Kanto. You truly were a worthy opponent, Lucario."</p><p>Was he an idiot? Why not heal his Dragonite, instead of raining down death he apparently could not control? Was <em>seeming</em> unstoppable truly more important than practicality for the madman? But Karo pushed a revive into his Alakazam's mouth instead, and Indigo grimaced.</p><p>The coward planned to run.</p><p>But before Karo could unleash the nameless terror in the strange black sphere, sound erupted all around them. Indigo looked sharply at the sky, taking in the circle of strange metal machines with whirling rotors keeping them in the air. Ropes swung down from each, and uniformed people slid down them in lines, taking up positions all around the clearing. A feathered dart struck Alakazam, who collapsed in a narcotic slumber.</p><p>"Karo Asuna!" a female voice boomed, as if amplified a thousand times over. A blue-haired woman in a uniform was the source, from high above, speaking through a white cone. "Drop the poké ball and put your hands in the air! I repeat! Put your <em>hands in the air</em>!"</p><p>Indigo had never seen anything of the like in all his time in the future. He'd avoided signs of this changed time, avoided the strange machines and inventions he didn't understand. He could only stare, completely stunned. How had something so loud snuck up on them?</p><p>He got his answer when he noticed the Xatu in each hovering machines, wings outstretched. They had blocked the sound from the spinning blades with psychic barriers, until they were right on top of their target.</p><p>Karo Asuna couldn't have looked more stunned if he'd turned purple and sprouted horns. He froze completely, his wild eyes darting between machines.</p><p>The officer repeated her orders, and red dots converged on Karo's face and chest. Indigo didn't understand, but Karo seemed to.</p><p>And looking into those crazed orange eyes, for the briefest moment, Indigo thought he was going to release his Pokémon anyways, and rain down the destruction he had promised.</p><p>The dark sphere slipped from the tips of his fingers, falling to the grass below. Karo put his hands up in a clear gesture of surrender, falling to his knees. Figures in black uniforms bound his hands with metal cuffs, taking control of the situation.</p><p>And all the while, Karo stared at Indigo alone, his expression both wild and unreadable.</p><p>One of the officers noticed Indigo's injuries. "You there! Get this Lucario medical attention. Terry Slade needs to be airlifted to Pewter for immediate emergency care. Search for any other injured Pokémon in the area! Let's move, people!"</p><p>"No," Indigo managed, his mind failing slowly. He could hardly speak, but still he tried. The officer seemed shocked to hear him speak out loud. She said something Indigo couldn't make out past the roaring in his ears.</p><p>He continued stubbornly. "Violet. You have to go get Violet. She's still…"</p><p>The officer didn't seem to understand what he was saying. But Indigo could hold out no longer. His vision failed entirely, and he fell into slamming unconsciousness.</p><p>~o~</p><p>
  <strong>Author's Note: This marks the end of the Karo Asuna arc! After every major story arc, I'm going to have a note with some of my thoughts, and minor changes from draft one. I encourage readers to take breaks between arcs and not to try and binge the story in three days…but I've tried that before, and people don't listen to me, haha! ;^^ At least remember to walk around a bit and drink some water, everyone!</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>One of the most common questions I get concerning this beginning arc is about the story order. I chose to start with an intense, doomed battle, and told the story from there. I <em>could</em> have started from the beginning of Indigo's human days, but didn't for a few major reasons. 1: Stories should start with an interesting hook. 2: If I'd gone from all of Indigo's epic backstory to a redemption future arc that lasted most of the story, it would have been <em>unbearable</em> to read. This order may seem strange, but it's the best choice for a story like this one. 3: Lots of little things, like adding mystery and intrigue, and revealing cool things over time. I did technically start the story like that <em>before</em> I knew what would happen, but I could have easily chosen to shift things around in the rewrite, and didn't for the reasons above.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Now on to the good stuff. :D </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>What's the best part of Pokémon? Battles. Especially <em>cool</em> battles. With stakes, and real injuries, and <em>consequences</em>. I wanted to open this story with an intense first arc with plenty of battle opportunities, geared towards showing off Indigo's values and resolve. And for that, normal battles just wouldn't cut it, so I introduced a monster! </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>My character choices for this arc were written to highlight Indigo's personality and struggles. Violet served to remind him of his idealistic former self, and what it truly meant to take risks. And Karo, with his taunting manipulations, reminded him of Tero Akkarin, forcing him to remake some choices he would have chosen <em>wrong</em> before the story began. Both of these extremes reminded him of who he was, and more importantly, who he <em>wanted</em> to be. Without Karo, Indigo might not have taken the first step towards being a hero again, and stayed in isolation. Violet also played an important role, but her story is more complex than just being a counterpoint to Indigo. More on that later.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Finally, I should talk about my villain. Who I hate. Not because he's evil - that's his job - but for being a weak minded bore. So many personality flaws and complexes…it's annoying writing a superiority complex in a man who truly <em>isn't</em> superior to others. He demands respect, violently silencing those who disagree as if that makes him <em>right</em>, and seeks comfort in evil and battle strength. Karo's internal need to be respected and acknowledged by others is so deep it's a near fatal flaw. He doesn't kill an enemy who looks down on him until they <em>know</em> he's better or stronger. A more direct and intelligent villain <em>without</em> those flaws would simply lead with Dragonite and kill Indigo immediately. But Karo's job was to be a decent first villain, who is still ultimately beatable, and he fulfilled that purpose whether I like him or not. All the same, it's not a blend of flaws I'll be reusing in the future.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>That's all for now. I usually have intermission chapters between arcs to tie things up and introduce new plot points, so that's coming next. Thanks as always for reading! :)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>~Little Miss Firebright</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Present Tense</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: An epidemic is currently spreading around Fanfiction dot net called the ‘Mary Sue Plague’. Save yourself and your loved ones from inadvertently spreading this disease, by giving actual limitations to your characters. Thank you.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The doors to the interrogation room hadn't opened in hours.</p><p>The single lightbulb burning over the steel table flickered, throwing wild shadows as it swung back and forth under a dented tin hood. A harsh clang echoed around the concrete walls as the metal chair Jenny had been sitting in crashed to the floor, nearly drowning out the sound of an open-handed slap.</p><p>She breathed hard, hot sweat beading on her temples. She stood bent over, one hand supporting her weight on the table between herself and her suspect, her other partially-open hand still stinging from striking skin.</p><p>She'd finally lost her temper.</p><p>It had been a long time coming.</p><p>She was the captain of the Special Division of Kanto's Police Force. She had interrogated illegal hunters, smugglers, bandits, leaders of criminal organizations, and hundreds of others in her years of active service.</p><p>She had never <em>once</em> thought she would have to interrogate a man she considered a friend.</p><p>The stranger with Karo Asuna's face smiled, his eyes in shadow, face still turned from the blow she'd given him. His skin stung red across his left cheek. He looked up at her with a distantly superior expression, one she had never seen before, and now recognized with a sickened jolt as his true self. He spat out blood to the side, from where his teeth had cut his own cheek.</p><p>His voice was a drawl, carefully controlled. "Temper, temper," Karo said, chastising her nonchalantly despite the chains around his wrists and ankles. As if he was the one in control. "You really shouldn't get so worked up…it isn't good for your health…"</p><p>"I'll ask again," Commander Jenny forced out, carefully tempered. Her spare hand clenched into a fist as she slid photographs in a line where her prisoner could see them clearly. "Anna Belmont. Rosalind Stryker. Max Smith." Three faces, only one easily recognizable. "These three trainers owned Pokémon found in your possession before their deaths. Anna Belmont was killed by her Abomasnow two years ago, which subsequently went missing. It was found in your PC box. Rosalind Stryker captured a rogue Aerodactyl in Sinnoh, with the intent to turn it in to the authorities, after it nearly killed her younger brother. Both went missing shortly afterwards. Her corpse was found a year later, her throat cut shortly after her disappearance. That same Aerodactyl was in <em>your</em> party. Max Smith. A child of <em>ten years old</em>, who adopted a formerly abused Growlithe. After his death, deemed accidental, the newly-evolved Arcanine went berserk, and was captured by you. You then reported you had executed the Pokémon, believing him beyond redemption. We trusted your expert judgement."</p><p>Her voice became something hard and dangerous as she spoke of the final victim, the child whose death had been her first case. The day she'd been introduced to Karo Asuna. He'd appeared to be a shining hero who defeated monsters. They'd worked together several times since, including the battle at Blackthorn City.</p><p>"Max Smith's case has been reopened, revealing new evidence suggesting his death was not accidental. It was murder. Someone killed him, and his death made his unusually powerful partner snap. An Arcanine which you now own. We believe you killed all three of these trainers, and others besides. We believe you have been building a team of monsters, with an unknown purpose. Among them is the Dragonite who wreaked havoc on Blackthorn City."</p><p>"<em>I</em> believe you are wasting my time," Karo drawled. "I won't be here long anyways. You'll see."</p><p>"And then…" Commander Jenny said quietly. Deadly. "There is the matter of the Dark One. Just how did you steal it from containment?"</p><p>Karo smiled serenely. "My dear, I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. May I have some water? I'm parched."</p><p>The urge to slap him again rose up in her throat, but Commander Jenny fought it down. "We'll have our answers," she promised. "And you're not going <em>anywhere</em>."</p><p>~o~</p><p>The cursed Lucario woke to the stink of chemicals.</p><p>Strange lethargy cloyed through his limbs, as if his brain's commands were on a delay. Bright white light burned his senses, even behind closed eyes, and it was with a sick jolt of primal horror that Indigo realized his arms were bound.</p><p>His reaction was instinctive and violent, as he recognized he was in some kind of laboratory, and could not <em>move</em>!</p><p>Aura-enhanced strength broke the strange restraints around his right arm, and Indigo thrashed wildly. He didn't have a plan for escape so much as an innate need to move, to do <em>something</em>, even if he didn't understand exactly what kind of danger he was in! He heard shouting, filtered as though through deep water, and arms tried to pin him down. Indigo's scarlet eyes flew open, and blinding light stabbed through his mind like red-hot pokers.</p><p>He could see people through a white haze, could hear them speaking calming nonsense, as he squinted through half-closed eyes, his ears swiveling wildly between every bombarding sound in the room-</p><p>"-increase the dosage, he <em>can't</em> be moving around!"</p><p>Indigo tried to snarl out a warning or a threat, daring the voice to even <em>try it</em>, but the sound which came from his throat didn't resemble human speech. And though he fought against the restraining arms, his body was weaker than it ought to have been. Numbness snaked in a cloying river down his left arm, spreading and spreading until he couldn't feel much of anything at all, but Indigo was <em>not</em> going to sleep again, not until he knew where he was, they wouldn't get <em>him</em> so easily-!</p><p>The next thing Indigo heard was the snap of a closing book.</p><p>He was too tired to move. The restraints were gone, and he lay on a downy soft surface in near darkness. He was still strangely numb, disconnected from reality. The lamp burning with a tinny electric drone in the corner hurt his aching eyes. Indigo closed them instinctively. He tried again a few moments later, warily squinting around the room.</p><p>It was still painful, but he could see. Indigo's racing heart slowed a little, reassured by the simple victory.</p><p>"Finally awake I see."</p><p>Indigo jolted, but the shadow urged him down. "No, don't try and stand. No one is going to hurt you, so just listen for a minute, ok? You've been out for a while. A week, give or take. Gave the nurses a scare yesterday too, trying to break all your stitches. Just take a minute before you try and talk, alright? I heard you could. My name is Teala."</p><p>Perhaps it was the calm of her patient voice, but Indigo found himself listening to her words. The wariness building in his arms faded away. He could still smell chemicals, and tubes sprung from his arm, but Indigo's head was clear enough now that he recognized his surroundings.</p><p>Not a laboratory. A hospital. His old terrors of Tero's lab faded back into memory, and Indigo let out a ragged breath.</p><p>It was nothing more than a nightmare from his past. Nothing here could hurt him.</p><p>His fear laid to rest, Indigo found his voice, albeit rougher than the last time he'd used it. "Where is Violet?"</p><p>Teala set her book down on the small end table. "Your new trainer, yes? Miss Hikari is alive and well." The tight knot in Indigo's chest vanished. "She'll have some new scars, but no lasting damage. She's quite something, if even half the stories flying around are true."</p><p>"Stories?" Indigo asked, finding sentences with fewer words easier to manage. The faint light wasn't stabbing his brain as much, though his eyes still watered furiously.</p><p>"That she outwitted a serial killer. Saved the lives of the other rookies whose memories were wiped. Saved <em>you</em>, and survived an encounter with the Kabutops known in Lumiose as the Blood Reaper. Risked her life to save Terry Slade. Other reports are…less likely real, including the ones where she uses newly discovered psychic abilities to stupefy Karo, and shoot lasers out of her eyes." She paused, but Indigo didn't laugh, all his energy on breathing alone.</p><p>"But there is <em>one</em> story I know is true. You probably don't know why help arrived when it did. Allow me to fill in the gaps. During your battle with Karo Asuna, Miss Hikari fought to get help. Alakazam's psychic barrier prevented her from calling the authorities on her pokétch, so she…she attempted to climb above the barrier. The trees in the mountains aren't difficult to climb, but of course, your trainer had the use of only <em>one </em>of her arms."</p><p>His breath caught in his throat. Of <em>course</em> she had done something brave and reckless and <em>stupid</em>, the moment he had turned away. He didn't understand the term 'pokétch'. But the context was clear. She had been trying to save him.</p><p>The soft-spoken woman continued, controlling her tone carefully. "It wouldn't have worked, if Alakazam hadn't been knocked out. The field went higher than she could have climbed. But it was, and she was able to make a call. And if she hadn't been so high up, she never would have gotten video footage of Dragonite carrying you up into the atmosphere and back down. That video convinced the police she was telling the truth. They knew if the Dragonite was the same demon from Blackthorn, action had to be taken. The rest you know."</p><p>"You both did incredible work. But either one of you would have failed on your own. I think you and Violet will work well together. After all, it was only because the two of you fought for the same cause that this battle was won at all."</p><p>Indigo had more questions. But his head pounded like a dismal drum, and even if he didn't understand what a 'video' was, Violet was safe.</p><p>It was all that mattered for now.</p><p>Indigo slipped his eyes closed, and after a few minutes of silence, Teala stood, turning off the lamp as she left him alone to sleep.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Violet breathed hard, her hands supporting her weight on her knees as she hunched over in the darkened room. She heard movement from the brightly-lit hallway and froze, stilling her lungs and thoughts until she heard them walk away.</p><p>"I could've sworn I saw her come this way…maybe…"</p><p>The voices faded as their sources moved farther away, and Violet breathed a sigh of relief. She took the beaten baseball hat off her head, letting her dark hair spill out over her shoulders in a straight wave. She stood, ignoring the painful twinge of her shoulder, which persisted despite the passed week.</p><p>Tight medical bandages wrapped her fingers to shoulders, binding beneath her loose blue shirt, chosen for the ease of dressing rather than style. Her legs had fared better, but Violet would not be doing any running for a while. Black sweatpants hid the remainder of the bandages, and hung long over her worn tennis shoes. All in all, she looked like a badly-dressed mummy, but seeing as she was <em>alive</em>, she had no complaints.</p><p>Word had somehow gotten out she was being released today. And if there was one thing Violet did <em>not</em> handle well, it was crowds. Or questions. Crowds <em>and</em> questions were a lethal combination for the shy girl, and she had been in hiding all day long.</p><p>"Of course I could just <em>leave</em> the Pokémon Center and hide at home, but no…I just had to wait for Indigo to be released too…" Violet muttered to herself. She let out a heartfelt sigh, and for the first time, looked around the dark room she'd ducked into. Thick shaded curtains blocked nearly all the daylight that should have flooded the room, leaving her with nothing but vague impressions of furniture. She heard a steady beeping, strangely familiar.</p><p>She groped at the wall for a long minute before she found the light switch, flicking it on with a cool flare of electricity.</p><p>Violet turned around…and nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized she wasn't alone. Terry Slade sat propped up in his hospital bed, looking at her with a cold expression in complete and utter silence.</p><p>He didn't look good. Wrapped bandaging marred his jet-black hair, circling his head and covering one eye. Thick plaster encased his right arm, with a pulse oximeter clipped onto one exposed finger. An IV stand hung with clear liquid in bags on his left, dripping leisurely into the mass of tubes keeping him alive. He was only sitting up at all because of the pillows propping him up like a doll. A monitor at his side announced his heartbeat with little quips.</p><p>His injuries had been considerably worse than her own. Despite this, his face betrayed no discomfort. His only visible eye was hard, regarding her with an almost hollow intensity.</p><p>"S-Sorry!" Violet stammered out, her face flushing as she reached for the doorknob. She didn't question why he was sitting alone in the dark. She'd heard what happened to him, to his <em>team,</em> in the battle against Karo.</p><p>"Stay," Terry commanded, cutting off her hurried exit. Violet froze mid-movement, and turned away from the door.</p><p>She stared at the clean white floor resolutely, completely at a loss for what to say.</p><p>The seconds dragged on, until Terry spoke again, plainly irritated. "If you don't say something, I'm going to throw one of my pillows at you. Speak, Violet, I know you can. Don't pull your mute routine with <em>me</em>."</p><p>"Sorry," she apologized again, her voice barely a whisper. She paused again, unsure what to say or do. She settled for taking a seat on the lone chair near his bedside, staring resolutely into her hands. Terry waited, without looking at her.</p><p>The constant beep of the heartrate monitor calmed her a little, and she found her voice. "What are you going to do next?"</p><p>He seemed to understand what she was really saying without her having to elaborate. He closed his eye, harsh pain darkening his tone. "I'm going to Lavender Town to bury my team. They deserve a proper sendoff. My Flareon alone is expected to make a full recovery. She will accompany me when I'm released."</p><p>"I see." Violet clenched her hands tight. He had control of his voice, his expression, and yet grief was written into every line of Terry Slade, from his tense jawline to the tight fist of his left hand. "I'm…I'm just so…"</p><p>"Apologize one more time, and I won't be the only one in a hospital bed," Terry threatened with a snap. "This wasn't your fault. You did not do this. Stop sniveling and act like the trainer you are. I can't <em>stand</em> it when girls cry over nothing."</p><p>"I wasn't crying!" Violet protested, which was only half-true since she had been about to do just that.</p><p>Terry snorted, not buying her story. "So. You're training Pokémon again. When did that change? I thought you were done…after what you did in Saffron City."</p><p>Violet recoiled as if she'd been shot. She sat up straight, her face ashen as she stared at Terry Slade with obvious panic. He laughed, quietly and without humor, and Violet was sure her heart had stopped!</p><p>"That's right, I know you were involved. I was at the Dojo that day…and I remember everything, unlike the others. Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut. But in exchange, I want a favor. What do you say?"</p><p>"What kind of favor?" Violet was tense, half-afraid of the answer. Paranoid that someone else was listening in. Terry turned to look at her for the first time since she'd taken a seat.</p><p>"I want you to challenge Pewter Gym, and get out of this town. You've been practically dead for two years now. That's all the mourning time you get. You have talent, Violet. Use it. Be the trainer he always knew you could be. Go out there and become a Pokémon Master…in my place, you have to be the best. I never will now."</p><p>"You could still-" Violet protested instantly, but he cut her off with a snarl.</p><p>"No, I <em>won't</em>," Terry said savagely. "I'm through being a competitive trainer, Violet, I'm just done. Me and Pyre are going to travel Kanto, just the two of us. I can't do it anymore, not after-!"</p><p>He took a deep breath to collect himself before continuing, his voice harsh. "You have to do it. And I know you'll try. Because he made you promise the exact same thing, didn't he? For both of our sakes…you've got to carry on the fight. Swear it on your life! If you don't, I'll tell everyone what you did, two years ago…of that you have <em>my </em>word…"</p><p>She swallowed.</p><p>It wasn't like she had much choice in the matter.</p><p>She couldn't help but wonder how much he actually knew.</p><p>"I promise," Violet whispered, her voice small.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Indigo had fought demons and kings in his lifetime. He'd awoken legendaries on his quest to power, dared to try and control them, and nearly destroyed the land itself trying to save a single girl. He was a warrior forged in blood and battle, hardened by grief and guilt, and even now was desperately trying to beat destiny at its own game so he could return to his ancient war. He'd done many things which could be considered extraordinary.</p><p>But while Indigo was skilled at fighting battles, recovering from them was unbearably boring.</p><p>"Hold still," Nurse Joy instructed patiently, and Indigo's squirming stopped. He growled low in his throat, studiously <em>not</em> looking at what the pink-haired healer was doing. His head hurt. Not from the pounding migraine he'd woken with, which had thankfully faded, but from trying to ignore the strange machinery surrounding him in the high-tech facility.</p><p>There were machines for everything from lighting rooms to polishing floors in this strange place called a Pokémon Center. Monitors quipped out his heart rate, scanners took images of his metallic skeleton, and he'd heard rumors of a box that reheated food on a spinning plate. Strangest of all was the 'television', filled with trapped images forced to repeat stories in a sick play. Indigo suspected it was a type of torture device, but that could be the rhyming commercials talking.</p><p>He'd mumbled traitorously throughout the entire check-up process, which seemed to include nothing but being asked to move various limbs and explain how they felt, while bright little lights were flashed in his eyes. He felt <em>fine</em>, as he'd explained countless times, and all this fuss really wasn't necessary, because he could take it from here, thank-you-very-much…</p><p>But even he couldn't argue with the plaster cast on his arm, which needed to come off now Blissey had finished knitting the bone back together. Apparently full restores were <em>not</em> intended to treat snapped bones, and could in fact cause them to heal wrong.</p><p>Indigo stopped growling. Reminding himself the mild-mannered woman next to him had been the one to re-break his bone in the first place. It would not do to anger her.</p><p>All the same, his entire body went tense at the sound of the vibrating saw thrumming to life, his ears turning to face the sound even as he refused to look.</p><p>"This won't hurt a bit," Nurse Joy promised in the singsong tone one used right before hurting someone. "Just hold still, and we'll have this cast off in no time!" Plaster flew in a fine little cloud of dust as the screeching saw tore through the cast with truly horrifying sounds.</p><p>Indigo did <em>try</em> not to be a drama queen about the entire situation. After all, the smiling nurse from the future was only using an evil vibrating saw of death on the arm she'd broken herself! What could go wrong?</p><p>Or, his mind supplied helpfully, maybe she <em>was</em> trying to kill him.</p><p>"There now, that didn't take long!" Nurse Joy sang, holding the two halves of his cast a few minutes later. "The saw doesn't actually cut, it vibrates from side to side, breaking apart the plaster. That way there's no danger of being injured."</p><p>Indigo rather wished she had mentioned that <em>earlier</em>, from his spot huddled over in the corner, a dark cloud hanging over him as he tried to regain his bravery.</p><p>"Well then, everything else looks good! If you're sure you're feeling better, we can release you into Miss Hikari's care. Just remember to change the bandages, and follow up with a nurse in a week or so to gauge your progress. Don't tear any stitches either. Take it easy for a while, and you'll be just fine."</p><p>Indigo nodded politely, trying to appear compliant and obedient, despite his intention to disregard every complicated instruction the Nurse gave him the moment he was free of this evil place. Surely he could figure things out on his own.</p><p>After what seemed like ages, Indigo was allowed to walk out on his own two feet, denying the offer of a wheelchair with indignation. He tried to act calm, though everything he saw was strange and otherworldly. Even the <em>floor</em> was unfamiliar, cool and smooth, but not stone. It felt strange on his padded feet after a year of living in the mountains.</p><p>He waited for ten long minutes in the foyer of the Pokémon Center, ignoring the furtive looks and whispers from trainers nearby, growing increasingly wound up as the desire to simply leave grew stronger. He wondered where Violet could be. Granted, his original discharge date was an hour away, and she couldn't have known he'd complain his way to an early release…</p><p>He could always wait.</p><p>An <em>hour</em>.</p><p>Indigo stood from the comfortable chair he'd chosen, casting his senses out for Violet's presence. He ignored all the staring people he did not know, stalking out the clear doors of the Pokémon Center.</p><p>The clean air calmed him. Indigo didn't dare use his aura vision. Some instinct warned him he wouldn't be able to do so for a while, and trying would be a bad idea.</p><p>But he could still sense enough aura to get a general direction. Indigo turned sharply left down the path leading to the woods, following the only aura familiar to him in this town. He didn't know what he was going to say when he found her. He barely knew the girl after all. But everything had been so strange recently, and he clung to the idea of finding familiar ground, even if it was simply talking to the girl who had fought the same monster as he.</p><p>His faint sense of 'Violet' led him deep into the forest surrounding the base of the mountains. He felt no sense of danger, despite almost dying in these woods mere days ago. Indigo felt more comfortable here than he ever could in a hospital.</p><p>Why had Violet come out here alone? Did she even have a Pokémon with her? He wasn't scared of the woods either, but then again, <em>he</em> could break boulders with his fists. It wasn't a fair comparison.</p><p>He hopped down a small rise, landing in soft green grass littered with the first fall leaves. The wind danced through the trees, playing a soft music one could only hear if they were listening. And it was through the filtered golden sunlight that Indigo found Violet.</p><p>The lithe girl stood facing away from him, her head bowed as if in prayer. Burnt-orange wildflowers stretched upwards for the sunlight playing through the changing leaves in her small clearing. Mounds of freshly-turned dirt lay at her feet, carefully adorned with bright bouquets of mountain blooms tied with river reeds. The whispering breeze tugged through her straight black hair, and she let her arms fall to her sides, wrapped in clean white bandages. She turned and caught sight of him standing there, smiling a little sheepishly as she lifted a hand to stop her dark hair from flying into her face.</p><p>Indigo padded over to her side without a word, getting a better look at the little graves for the Pidgey Karo had killed a week prior.</p><p>He didn't have any clever words to say in response to that one little act of beauty. And so Indigo said nothing at all, standing with Violet in silence as the mountains sang a requiem of wind and dancing leaves for the innocents who lay fallen.</p><p>Finally, Violet let out a deep breath, turning to face him properly. He was struck again by her brilliantly colored eyes, and the hidden strength within.</p><p>"I know we didn't meet under the best of circumstances. I didn't really fight fair when I caught you either. So, Indigo? This is me asking, from the heart. Would you like to be my partner from now on?"</p><p>She looked so earnest, her dainty features the picture of sincerity. Indigo knew if he refused her, she would release him without question. He could find a stronger trainer, someone who could teach him the values required to break his curse once and for all.</p><p>Someone better than her. With more than one, as yet unknown Pokémon too weak to battle. Who could lift more than fifty pounds without snapping in two, and didn't need his help.</p><p>And he smiled at the absurdity of the thought. "I could live with that," he said simply.</p><p>Because at the end of the day, he wouldn't have won without her. And maybe, just maybe, he needed help sometimes too.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Kanto's gym challenge was set up so beginning trainers could battle local Gym Leaders from any town and stand a fighting chance. After official registration, trainers could battle any of the eight main gyms in the region and see Pokémon ranging from level 9 to 14. After winning their first gym badge, the next Gym Leader would use a different set of Pokémon to reflect their opponent's skill level. After obtaining four gym badges, the sets used by gym leaders would increase in power significantly, setting the bar for serious trainers to advance in the ranks. The system was in place so trainers would be forced to grow significantly throughout their journey. By the final gym, leaders used a borderline-Elite-Four-level team. Of the thousands who attempted to qualify for the Pokémon League Tournament, comparatively few were able to enter the world-famous event.</p><p>Pewter Gym was known across the world as a mountain for trainers to conquer. Brock's rock-solid reputation and impenetrable defense had earned the gym a place among Kanto's finest. Many trainers were unwilling to take him on after their fourth badge, since Brock's fifth level and higher teams were nearly unbeatable.</p><p>Brock's gym was popular as a first badge because of this. No matter how difficult his living golems could be to the bug catchers and newbies, they all kept trying, because a zero-badge team was far better than the alternatives.</p><p>Indigo needed no such advantage, as a powerful warrior with superior typing and experience battling rock types in the mountains. It was possible he would have been capable of sweeping Brock's team even if Violet had three or four badges already.</p><p>Normally, that is.</p><p>The afternoon shadows lengthened across the pavement when Violet and Indigo finally walked out of the gym. The Lucario had his arms crossed in front of his chest, eyes closed as if fighting back a headache. The bandages wrapped around his fists were ragged and stained from striking living stone, and limped slightly. A deep blush stained Violet's cheeks, despite the twinkling badge in her hand, as they both tried to ignore the hysterical laughter behind them.</p><p>"We won. That is all that matters," Indigo growled, as if trying to convince himself. He shot a glare back into the gym as the doors shut, muffling the laughter within. "He didn't have to laugh <em>that</em> hard," he added on, a little grumpily. "I thought we did well, considering."</p><p>Violet continued walking mutely, and Indigo wondered if someone could blush hard enough to die. If so, Violet was in grave danger.</p><p>She wasn't <em>bad </em>at battling. In fact, after she found her voice, she had done well, giving instructions he would not have considered himself. If he had been anywhere <em>near</em> full strength, he wouldn't have needed any help whatsoever.</p><p>Showing up covered in bandages hadn't been a great start to the match. Brock had asked about five times if the two of them were sure about battling. Indigo remembered how arrogant he had felt, how <em>certain</em> of victory he had been. After all, as Violet had explained, Brock would be using incredibly weak Pokémon since she had not yet earned any 'badges', weak Pokémon with a <em>type disadvantage</em> no less. And despite her warnings that Brock was still a force to be reckoned with, no matter how weak his partners were, Indigo simply hadn't taken the threat seriously.</p><p>He'd scoffed at the Onix Brock had begun with, one of the smallest specimens he'd ever seen. He'd knocked it out with a single blow.</p><p>Which had been fine, until the 'small' eighteen-foot-Onix fainted right on top of him. Brock's mouth had been twitching towards a grin as he recalled his fallen partner, freeing Indigo from his newly formed crater.</p><p>Things had gone…downhill from there.</p><p>"And besides," Indigo continued, when Violet still didn't respond. "He was a powerful trainer. As you said, there is <em>no</em> <em>shame</em> in having trouble battling experienced veterans. I'm sure this kind of thing happens all the time."</p><p>Geodude had been next. Indigo had summoned all his strength, <em>determined</em> not to do something embarrassing in front of his new trainer again. The cursed Lucario shone with aura light, spectral blue flames whirling around his palm as he'd delivered a blow equivalent to those he'd used against Karo on the weak, glorified pebble!</p><p>…and hit a Protect bubble as solid as steel, pain shattering up his newly-healed arm. He remembered hunching over as he tried to pretend it didn't hurt <em>that</em> badly, while Violet shouted encouragement from the side.</p><p>He'd just decided the burning agony was not a <em>rebreak</em>, at least, when the tiny Geodude spun towards him like a deranged stone top, spewing mineral dust in his wake. He'd leapt over the Rollout with all the easy grace of a ninja, teeth gritted in irritation as he gathered draconic energy in his throat - only to have his feet taken out from under him the moment he landed, as the Rollout changed direction and became just fast enough to throw off his timing.</p><p>He fell flat on his nose, trying to ignore the badly-disguised snickers coming from everywhere but Violet. His howling Dragon Pulse was considerably stronger than it <em>needed</em> to be, carving a gouging furrow in the stone habitat as it finally knocked out the <em>evil</em> rock puppet.</p><p>Already, he'd been ready to leave and never return, but Brock's third and final Pokémon was the worst of them all!</p><p>The chunky Larvitar had glared with beady eyes, somehow looking down on him despite being shorter than his knees. Indigo had struck, merciless and fast, intending to finish the battle before it began - but hit dirt as his enemy burrowed beneath the bedrock battlefield. Per Violet's instructions, the cursed Lucario leapt to grab one of the stone spikes jutting from the simulated terrain, avoiding the Dig with moments to spare. Darkness pulsed from his striking fist, only to be swallowed by a devouring Sandstorm. The earthy-green Larvitar shifted like a mirage in the sands, and vanished from view entirely.</p><p>Indigo hadn't been able to see anything through the wild wind streams and violent sands, and while the desert storm couldn't hurt a Lucario, his vision was still horribly obscured. He could barely hear Violet's shouted instructions through the gale.</p><p>One hit was all it would take to win, and yet Larvitar evaded him in the consecutive Sandstorm attacks for a good twenty minutes, hiding behind Substitutes and a fully stacked Double Team, as he chewed on leftovers to regain HP. Indigo would have dearly loved to use his aura vision, but his overuse of the technique a week earlier had pushed the ability to its limits. He was stuck with regular boring vision like everyone else, and he <em>hated</em> it. The battle consisted of Indigo running around practically blind hitting all the illusionary Double Team Larvitars with increasingly angry Force Palm attacks, as the real one used Dig every other turn to hide.</p><p>In the end, Larvitar fell asleep among the craggy terrain, bored of waiting for Indigo to find it. The Sandstorm died down, and a furiously embarrassed Indigo had knocked his sleeping opponent out cleanly in a futile effort to regain some dignity.</p><p>Brock laughed the entire time, barely pausing for air. He hadn't been able to speak as he handed Violet her badge, struggling to rein in his fits of humor. When she thanked him and left the main room, the Gym Leader known for his rock-solid demeanor resumed laughing so hard his aides thought he was going to need medical attention.</p><p>"R-Right," Violet agreed finally, her voice small as she broke her silence. "And even low-level gym Pokémon have TM moves a lot of the time, or even egg moves, so they're different from fresh-caught wild Pokémon…"</p><p>"Completely different," Indigo agreed immediately. "On a completely different level. Gym Leaders truly are a force to be reckoned with. It takes a true master to best one in battle."</p><p>A group of kids no more than 11 years old chose that moment to walk past. "Yeah, I beat Brock no problem," a tiny blonde girl with pigtails said offhand to her friends. "My new Lotad had a cold and we still kicked butt. You'd have to be a real loser to have problems beating him." She laughed, showing off her gleaming Boulder Badge in a cute pink badge case with the words "Hello Skitty" drawn on it in bubble letters.</p><p>Indigo glared at the unknowing children as they continued down the path. "That child is a practitioner of witchcraft. It is possible she sold her soul for power. We should exorcise her just to be safe."</p><p>His dark-haired companion grinned at his assessment. Violet sat cross legged at the base of a large oak tree, the leaves just beginning to turn russet, and Indigo felt a little better having lightened the mood. He sat down next to her as she pressed the Boulder Badge into the octagonal indent in her new badge case, admiring the shine. After registering at the Pokémon Center as an official entry to the Pokémon League challenge, she'd chosen a sleek white case with a raised jagged line striking from one corner to the next like lightning, all polished plastic and new grey foam. She snapped the case shut, tucking it into her oversized yellow backpack, and laughed despite herself.</p><p>"We kind of sucked, didn't we?" she said, giggling. "Remember how you tripped on the Larvitar after it burrowed up right in front of you?"</p><p>"Which wouldn't have happened if I could see properly," Indigo growled, crossing his arms. "My aura vision would have made the battle go quite differently." Violet only laughed, and Indigo smiled a little ruefully, supposing he could take things more lightly. It had been an interesting beginning to their partnership after all. Brock had some solid strategic move sets, even with his weakest team.</p><p>And the next Gym Leader would be stronger still. Hope sparked in Indigo's chest along with a newfound determination. He'd been getting bored in the mountains. Traveling with Violet would no doubt help him in his quest for strength. He looked forward to the challenge.</p><p>Indigo hadn't known about the little parks in Pewter City, having avoided the signs of civilization like the plague for much of his time in the future, but Violet was familiar with the local training grounds. Three well-worn dirt battlefields marked the secluded area, surrounded by stone benches and large trees. A chill breeze carried aurulent leaves in drifting spirals through the long yellowing grass at the bases of gnarled oaks.</p><p>The two sat facing the mostly empty park, content simply to rest for the moment. "Did you learn to fight with another trainer, or a pack?" Violet wanted to know, offhandedly curious.</p><p>"Mostly just training in the mountains," Indigo admitted, leaning his head back against the rough bark. "If there are more Lucario in the area, I've never seen them. But I trained in martial arts before, with-"</p><p>Indigo bit off his words hurriedly. He'd almost mentioned his past life, something he simply could not do. Violet would undoubtedly have questions which would be difficult to answer.</p><p>Luckily, she hadn't noticed his slip. Violet frowned, tapping at a small device with a look of concentration on her face. "Hold on…you defeated Karo with an Aura Sphere, right? Indigo…my pokétch scan says you don't <em>know</em> Aura Sphere. Pokétchs are really accurate, so it's weird. How did you do it?"</p><p>"I do not know," Indigo said honestly. "Does it matter?"</p><p>It did matter apparently, and Indigo took his place on the battlefield. It took three failed Aura Spheres, which exploded in increasingly creative ways, before Violet called an end to the training, saying he was going to hurt himself. Through ragged breaths, Indigo had to admit she might be right.</p><p>He could not use Aura Sphere. On top of that, he was still capable of using all four of his other moves. As if it had never happened.</p><p>Violet pouted at her machine, as if that would force it to make sense. "This is weird!" she complained. "Most Lucario learn Aura Sphere immediately after evolving. Even late bloomers all learn it eventually. But using it and forgetting? <em>That's</em> unheard of. It's a very important move for a Lucario!"</p><p>"Why, exactly?" Indigo wanted to know. He remembered the exhilarating rush of power, the flawless connection with the aura world, and how perfectly the energy had seemed to resonate with his own heart. But feelings weren't a substitute for knowledge.</p><p>Violet bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "It's like…a rite of passage, I guess? Lucario are famed for their strong sense of justice. When a Lucario uses Aura Sphere, their sense of 'justice' actually fuels and shapes the sphere. By focusing on their opponent's aura with that moral sense, the sphere locks in, and can't be avoided. And that's not all – Aura Sphere gains an enormous power increase when used against 'evil'! Though…I'm not sure if the user's, or the opponent's mentality is used for calculating 'evil'."</p><p>"It's both." Indigo sat up, thinking back on their battle very hard. He met her questioning look. "I…think, anyways. Dragonite had a black aura. And an almost-instinctive fear to my Aura Sphere, despite never dodging before. Perhaps black auras signify evil. What type of power increase are we talking about?"</p><p>Violet twirled a lock of hair absently between her fingers. "Base power increases to 150 depending on various factors, but those calculations seem arbitrary, and based on emotion. Most importantly, it ignores typing, and always hits super effectively. But this is mostly rumor and fringe research. True evil is rare. But if anyone qualified, that Dragonite <em>would</em>."</p><p>Indigo shot his new trainer a look, as she trailed off, lost in thought. A question had been nagging at him all day. He wondered if it was alright to ask.</p><p>She had nearly destroyed Karo Asuna without anyone's help. And clearly had extensive knowledge on Pokémon species, along with battle experience beyond his expectations.</p><p>But none of the other trainers seemed to know of her skill. Her shyness around humans was nearly crippling. And she only carried one partner, who she <em>admitted</em> wasn't strong enough to battle. Violet Hikari was a girl who, despite her increasingly obvious talents, had never earned a single gym badge.</p><p>Violet sat with her knees tucked up to her chest, leaning back against the craggy tree bark as she watched a practice battle at the end of the park. Her eyes followed the match between two rookies, gauging strengths and weaknesses, openings and mistakes, and from the brightness of her gaze, he knew she missed nothing.</p><p>"How long have you been a trainer, Violet?" Indigo asked, finally.</p><p>Maybe he imagined the tenseness in her arms as she hugged her legs a little closer. Or maybe it was just the cold breeze blowing faintly on her skin. She didn't look at him when she answered, following the battle instead. "A few months. Most trainers start at ten, but I…well, my dad forbade me from starting until sixteen. He wanted me to finish school, and join the family business, but all I've ever wanted was to be a trainer. I was going to start anyways, a few years back, but…things didn't work out, and I moved here."</p><p>"Your father cares for your well-being," Indigo noted, prodding carefully for more information.</p><p>Violet smiled, a little sadly. "He's…distant. He lives in Saffron, for his job. I live here alone. My mom was an incredible ghost trainer, but she died on a mission to save Kanto when I was little. I don't remember her much. My dad was dead set against me following the same path as her. But I never changed my mind, and fulfilled all his conditions, so he held up his end of the bargain, and then some. The supplies he sent me are world class, including some of the rarest poké balls on earth. I used one of them to catch you, actually."</p><p>"The master ball," Indigo said, remembering the name. "Or as I like to call it, complete cheating."</p><p>"Not just one," Violet admitted. "Master balls are incredibly rare. There are maybe thirty in the whole world. But my dad is an executive for the company which creates them, and he's worried I'll run into the same type of monster that killed mom. He gave me <em>three</em>. Two to use as soon as possible, to collect data for future development, and one to keep for catching god-level threats. I had to use one on you – I didn't think Karo would reveal himself if no one caught you, and I don't have a trained team. But the other? I used it to capture the most incredible Pokémon I've ever seen."</p><p><em>That</em> got Indigo's attention. "More incredible than me? Are you certain?" The more he heard about Violet's mystery Pokémon the more intrigued he became. Just what could it <em>be</em>? "I am quite impressive after all. I speak and everything."</p><p>The trainers at the end of the park finished their battle, and shook hands before parting ways. Violet turned to Indigo with a smile. "Would you like to meet him? My starter, I mean? You two are going to be partners from now on after all!"</p><p>"I would like that very much," Indigo said feelingly, his curiosity getting the better of him. He stood, ignoring the aching in his legs from his still-healing injuries, and offered Violet a paw. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.</p><p>She took a deep breath, preparing herself. "Right then!" she said, clapping her hands together. "Let's do this! Try not to get jealous, alright? After all, my starter is going to be stronger than you before long!"</p><p>Her grand pronouncement made, Violet threw her first master ball in a high arc. Golden light spilled from the deep-purple sphere in a glittering halo, so bright Indigo had to hold out an arm to shield his vision. The light stretched into a shining shape, shattering off in a rain of sparks.</p><p>Indigo hadn't known what he expected. His eyes went wide with absolute shock at what he was witnessing.</p><p>The Pokémon had gleaming scarlet scales, the shade of a blood-red ruby, polished to a gemstone finish. His pectoral fins were as white as driven snow, and as crisp as a fresh paper fan, held out from a sleek red body like wings. The aquatic beauty had long golden whiskers and a dorsal fin adorning his perfectly arched spine.</p><p>The gleaming fish posed in midair as the remaining saintly light gleamed off his flawless form in an effervescent spotlight of fabulousness. Violet's smile was angelic, and she sighed with absolute bliss.</p><p>The Magikarp splatted to the dirt. "Karp, karp, Magikarp," he said.</p><p>"Isn't he <em>beautiful</em>?" Violet breathed, leaning down to pat her Magikarp's head. "His name is Mr. Fin. Say hello, Mr. Fin! Indigo? Is something wrong?"</p><p>"A <em>Magikarp</em>," Indigo groaned, hunched over in <em>very real pain</em>, his arms supported against a tree as he tried not to fall over. "She owns a Magikarp. And it's her <em>starter</em>!"</p><p>"You know, it's not good for you to bang your head on trees repeatedly like that," Violet said, a little miffed as she watched Indigo mutter to himself. "Besides, Mr. Fin isn't a normal Magikarp. He's special."</p><p>"Special needs?" Indigo guessed, not even joking as he glared at the oversized fish Violet had described as the most incredible Pokémon in the world bare moments ago. "A special dinner? E-special-ly ugly?"</p><p>Violet gasped in indignation, hugging her starter close to her chest. "You take that back! Mr. Fin is the most gorgeous Magikarp in the entire world! Just look at him!"</p><p>"It's a Magikarp, Violet," Indigo deadpanned. "And I'd rather not look at it. It offends my eyes."</p><p>"<em>He</em>," Violet said, stressing the word, "is a better starter than most trainers could dream of. Mr. Fin is rare, especially to competitive trainers. It took me <em>three weeks</em> to catch him again after he escaped my fishing line, but I never gave up! I barely even slept. But you're a Pokémon. You wouldn't understand."</p><p>"Try me," Indigo said flatly, staring dubiously at the brightly colored Magikarp. He was more than a little offended Violet prized that horrible thing over <em>him</em>, but tried not to let it show. By Layla's blood, she was <em>serious</em>!</p><p>"Well first off, he's physically flawless. All his features are in the 90th percentile or higher. And he's beautiful, obviously. Most importantly, he has amazing IVs. He may not look like much now, but as a Gyarados, he'll be world class in size and power. You see a normal Magikarp, but I see the potential to be one of the strongest Gyarados in history. If I raise him right. Which I will."</p><p>"Raising a Gyarados is no easy task!" Indigo snapped, narrowing his eyes at the flopping fish. "And his name is silly. And <em>what</em> are IVs?" Back in his day, Pokémon training wasn't so complicated!</p><p>Violet shot him an understanding look. "IV stands for individual values. It's a measurement of an individual Pokémon's potential. Basically, it's the calculation of potential by species in each of the six battle categories: HP, Speed, Attack, Special Attack, Defense, and Special Defense. Pokémon with maximum stats in any category are rare. All six is a competitive trainer's dream."</p><p>Indigo's head hurt, but he was following what Violet was saying so far. "How many of these perfect IVs does your starter have exactly?" he said warily, reappraising the harmless looking fish in front of him.</p><p>Violet's grin grew with obvious pride. "Mr. Fin has a perfect set of six," she said proudly, practically glowing as Indigo blanched. "A Magikarp of this caliber would sell for more than a house. After he broke ten dive balls and escaped, I wasn't taking any chances. He's well worth the effort, and the master ball. And now we're the best of friends, right, Mr. Fin?" The Magikarp flopped faster, pleased with the attention.</p><p>"IVs aren't something that can be learned then. A Pokémon must be born with them, correct?" Indigo summarized, kneading his temples. Violet nodded, feeding Mr. Fin another blue block. "And they influence how strong a Pokémon can get by a large margin?" Another nod. Indigo glared at the fish in front of him, which was preening as if he <em>knew</em> he was perfect.</p><p>Indigo's next words were from the heart. "IV training takes all the fun out of Pokémon battling."</p><p>"It's not bad once you learn the rules," Violet said sympathetically. "It can be confusing at first though. Took me ages. EV training goes hand in hand with it, but that's not so difficult. Want to see what you have?"</p><p>"Why not?" Indigo sighed, sitting down next to the proclaimed most-perfect Magikarp in the world, which was admittedly slightly pretty. Violet snapped open her pokétch. He jumped when a blue wave of light scanned him head to toe.</p><p>"Hey, not bad," Violet said appreciatively, reading the glowing blue screen. "One perfect IV, in Special Attack, and your Defense isn't bad either. Special Defense is average, and your Attack is low for a Lucario, but everything looks good. I can work with stats like these."</p><p>Indigo glowed a little at the praise. "Of course you're no Mr. Fin," Violet continued, and Indigo jerked with irritation. "But you're already a capable battler on top of your stats, so you've got a leg up."</p><p>"Hear that, fish? I'm the stronger one, don't forget it. And I am lecturing a Magikarp." Indigo sighed, as the Magikarp flopped happy circles around him in the dirt, apparently just fine with being out of water. And despite the fact that Indigo could understand the speech of Pokémon, Mr. Fin said nothing but 'Karp-karp,' completely satisfied with the world.</p><p>Indigo couldn't prove anything, but he thought the Magikarp could be making fun of him.</p><p>He hunched over, fighting back a sudden smile. The whole situation was just so ridiculous.</p><p>"Indigo?" Violet asked, leaning over with concern. "Are you alright?"</p><p>He couldn't help it. Indigo laughed, really truly laughed for the very first time since he'd been cursed, laughed at the utter absurdity of his new partner, at his farce of a battle against Brock, and at the idea of learning an ancient definition of 'strength' from a teenage girl with crippling anxiety.</p><p>But most of all, Indigo laughed with sheer wonder, because he had never once thought he would be able to do so again after losing his entire world.</p><p>Violet seemed to understand the sentiment without him explaining, and when their eyes met, she grinned too, matching him as if it were all a great big joke only the two of them understood. She laughed along, her voice as sweet as a bell, and Mr. Fin flopped circles around them both as if glad to be included.</p><p>By the time his laughter faded, Indigo was left grinning, light and happy in a way he'd forgotten in the past year, cleansed inwardly of the many little hurts he hadn't truly appreciated until they were gone. And he marveled at how beautiful the world could be.</p><p>Fire painted the western skies by the time they were ready to leave. And, exhausted by the outing, and with both of their mostly healed injuries beginning to ache in earnest, the two new friends decided to call it a day.</p><p>~o~</p><p>He was alone, for the first time in a long while, although he knew he was being watched. Security cameras peered into his cell, the invisible eyes making his skin prickle. He looked straight into a lens, glaring at the people watching the feed. He couldn't move much anyways. His arms were bound behind his back in a straitjacket. Even his ankles were cuffed, making movement nearly impossible.</p><p>He was only just holding himself together.</p><p>He hated them. All the people who watched him, who dared to belittle his existence, all those who looked at him with <em>pity</em> and revulsion, he hated each and every one of them with an ugly, seething rage!</p><p>But most of all, he hated Violet. The thought of her was enough to make him want to kill. Hatred allowed him to keep his controlled appearance, though he wanted nothing more than to scream his anger at everyone who looked down on him.</p><p>He felt no such emotion towards the Lucario, surprisingly. Perhaps it was because he had lost in a straight fight. The Lucario was strong, and had fought well, and Karo could respect that much, at least.</p><p>Losing to a warrior was a minor insult, compared to being unmade by a nervous teenager with social anxiety. He'd never even heard her <em>voice</em>! His fantasies helped keep his face composed during the endless rounds of interrogation. Her screams echoed fresh in his mind, and Karo couldn't pick a favorite daydream of ending her life.</p><p>It was only fantasy, of course. Karo had never killed anyone with his own hands after all. He much preferred using his Pokémon to kill. He didn't think a quick death would be truly satisfying, anyhow. With that realization, his ideas became more creative as the hours dragged on, until he knew exactly what he wanted to do.</p><p>He wanted her to suffer. To fight and lose and <em>die </em>knowing she was worth nothing. Killing her alone wouldn't give him what he needed.</p><p>She had to know death was coming.</p><p>If she didn't <em>know</em> he had beaten her, didn't <em>feel</em> mentally destroyed and inferior, there was no point in taking her life at all. He was already exposed – real revenge was all that mattered to him, not a simple assassination. He was better than her, smarter than her, and she would know it beyond the shadow of a doubt before she perished.</p><p>Once he decided on the perfect plan, the lights overhead flickered. It wasn't much, but Karo's eyes lingered on the bulb.</p><p>And he smiled, slow and sure.</p><p>He only regretted he wouldn't have time to draw out her pain personally.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Indigo hadn't known her reaction to his confession would be so severe. If he had, he might have kept his silence. Violet stared with open horror, visibly shaken as if the ground had crumbled beneath her shoes.</p><p>"Indigo," she whispered finally, voice quavering. "Are you telling me the truth? Honestly?"</p><p>He hesitated, wondering if he could take back what he had said and pass it off as a joke of some kind. But somehow…he knew she wouldn't buy it. He nodded instead, warily wondering how to proceed. "Yes."</p><p>He may as well have punched her in the gut. "I never would have guessed…I mean, I knew you didn't know much about modern life, but I…how is that even possible? It isn't <em>right</em>!"</p><p>She pointed to the plate of glazed donuts on display in the bakery. "You mean to tell me you've never eaten a donut before?!" she demanded, as though he had committed some heinous crime.</p><p>"I do not understand why this is such a big deal," Indigo scoffed, looking dubiously at the mound of sugary confections. "They are simply pastries." If she reacted like <em>this</em> to donuts, he was never going to tell her he was a time traveler with a dark past. Better to keep his origins a secret.</p><p>"S-Simply-!" Violet broke off, unable to convey her shock at hearing such blasphemy. "Donuts are not <em>just</em> pastries! Donuts are the single greatest food existing in this world! Living in the mountains your whole life is <em>no excuse</em> for never having eaten a donut!"</p><p>He sighed irritably, making a conscious effort to reappraise the donuts to appease her. "They look nice," he amended dutifully. "I like the one with the small colored dots as adornment."</p><p>"Indigo," Violet said slowly. "Did you mean sprinkles? You've never…even heard of…"</p><p>Indigo yelped with surprise when she grabbed his wrist, immediately pulling him inside the glass doors. A brass bell tinkled merrily, announcing their entrance. Violet didn't even pause, walking straight up to the counter of the mostly empty store. She pulled out a gleaming silver card from her wallet, and thrust it at the cashier.</p><p>Violet's shy manner was nowhere to be seen as she glared at the employee with flashing eyes. He gulped visibly, as if wondering how to react. "H-How can I help you?" he stuttered, taken aback by his quiet regular storming up to his counter as if she intended to fight him there and then with her tiny fists.</p><p>"Give me two of every donut you have!"</p><p>A professional swipe of the card was all it took to purchase a fantastical array of sugary donuts, packed by the dozens into brown boxes. Indigo could only stare blankly, as Violet nodded with curt satisfaction and slipped her slim wallet back in her pocket.</p><p>Indigo shot her startled looks over the comical stack of donut boxes, wondering what on earth he should <em>say</em>, but Violet ignored him, muttering under her breath instead. "Never eaten a donut…honestly, how <em>completely</em>…can't possibly let him live like this…"</p><p>He wisely decided to keep his silence, which lasted all the way to Violet's front door.</p><p>A small glass screen flickered to life beside her polished black door. A blue wave of light scanned her up and down, and the latch clicked open automatically. "Open," she said absently, not breaking stride as the door swung inwards according to her command. Indigo nearly tripped, familiar culture shock thundering though his heart.</p><p>Electric lights flared systematically as they walked down the main hallway, illuminating portraits and paintings adorning the papery grey walls. She went straight to the kitchen, dumping her bags on the massive stone island in the center of the cavernous open-walled room glittering with technology. Everything was <em>almost</em> familiar, but just alien enough to shake his foundations to the core!</p><p>Finally, she noticed his expression. Violet took the boxes carefully, before her shaking Lucario dropped them, his ears almost flat back. "Take deep breaths," she recommended, her understanding washing over his nerves like balmy summer seas. She waited as his eyes closed, until his rigid tail relaxed, and said, "I can minimize the tech, if you'd like."</p><p>But he shook his head. "No. I want…to know." His scarlet eyes opened, disturbed but resolute. "Show me. <em>Everything</em>."</p><p>Her lips pursed, but she didn't question his decision. "Avery, activate all terminals," she commanded to thin air, and <em>her home obeyed</em>!</p><p>Every electric bulb in the kitchen flared like miniature suns, gleaming off stone countertops dotted with control screens for devices. A cheery robotic voice asked if the two of them needed anything, seeming to come from the glowing blue panel in the fridge, pictures of possible recipes that could be made with its current contents flickering over the doors in tantalizing decadence.</p><p>That wasn't all. Violet watched the flickering array of emotions on Indigo's face without comment as the rest of the kitchen turned on.</p><p>The dishwasher let out a chime and a small cloud of steam, announcing its contents were clean, popping open to reveal gleaming white plates and bowls arranged neatly on plastic-coated racks. Metallic arms burst from round ports, stacking the dishes as they put them into cupboards and drawers alike with unnatural efficiency. A small television turned on in the upper corner of the kitchen, displaying an intense battle between a Gallade and a Swampert. The impossible visual angles swooped and zoomed, catching every second of the action.</p><p>A vast mechanical whir hummed through the walls, and <em>hot air</em> gusted from artistic vents set in the ceilings and floors. Dark hardwood ceiling fans in the adjacent dining room whirled lazily, engraved with abstract nature scenes, as a cheery fire instantly ignited beneath a grand maple mantle.</p><p>It was too much! His pupils dilated to pinpricks beneath hyper-alert ears. A little circular robot whisked past his feet in its quest for dust and dirt, and Indigo landed on his tail, on the verge of passing out completely from sheer sensory overload.</p><p>Violet took advantage of his open mouth to insert a donut inside, a soft white powdered variety filled with red jam. He chewed automatically, catching the donut with one paw so it would not fall. She grinned at his dawning wonder.</p><p>The look turned to a glare after she pointed a plastic box at his expression, the flash of light startling him anew. She tucked away the strange box unapologetically, with a satisfied smile.</p><p>Indigo swallowed his bite of donut as his momentary distraction faded, struggling to control his breathing. Violet's eyebrows pinched together. She sat by his side. "Is this too much? We can camp outside if you'd prefer."</p><p>He returned to himself in the face of her concern, blinking twice to clear his focus. "The donut is helping," he admitted, considerably less shaken. "Are there more jelly-filled varieties?"</p><p>Violet smiled, simple and sincere, and showed him which donuts were superior to others, while the boy turned Lucario followed her explanations with interest.</p><p>It was a good night.</p><p>Once he began asking, Indigo had many questions. He learned about airplanes and PC boxes, computers and television, along with electric ovens, colored lightbulbs, ventilation, digital music, the internet, telephones, and new culture, along with a hundred other things.</p><p>He was especially interested in kitchen appliances, despite his apologetic admission that he did not know much about cooking. She showed him everything in her kitchen, including things she barely even knew she had, much less used. The two of the puzzled over a strange rotating waffle iron with triangular segments instead of grooves, eventually deciding it was meant for cooking sandwiches. He was awed by the genius of the refrigerator and the microwave, despite claiming the latter hurt his head when it was on. The rows of donuts disappeared with regularity, as both of them ate themselves sick on glazed cream heaven.</p><p>After he'd studied every inch of the kitchen, Indigo requested he be allowed to try and cook some real food before they overdosed on pure sugar. Violet agreed solemnly around a mouthful of white cake donut with sprinkle-filled frosting and a thick cream center.</p><p>She lent him a white apron, and sat demurely at the high-backed stools lining the granite countertop, trying and failing to keep a grin off her lips at the serious manner he adopted trying to remember which spatula was best for flipping eggs, and how to work the can opener. She offered advice occasionally, which he took with varying degrees of grace. He argued with the robotic matrix whenever it offered tips, or informed him his current stove settings were going to burn everything black. Violet turned it off when it seemed the two would come to blows over the proper way to slice cheese, and struggled not to laugh when the toaster scared the mighty warrior into jumping nearly three feet in the air with a shocked yelp.</p><p>By the time Indigo finished his hard-earned meal, it was well after midnight. Violet set her ludicrously long dining table with places for two at the end. Despite his inexperience, the Chansey-egg omelets were delicious, if a little lopsided. Canned peach slices sat in little glass bowls as a side dish, slippery and endlessly sweet. Violet drank soda, which Indigo claimed was witchcraft, sticking with water for himself.</p><p>"If I eat any more, I will explode," her Lucario warned her, and she couldn't help but agree. They put away the donuts, and Violet turned on the robotic matrix in the house to clean their dishes for them.</p><p>"Where <em>did</em> you learn to cook omelets?" she wanted to know, stretching with feline satisfaction after their meal. Indigo froze, cursing himself. It should <em>not</em> be so difficult to keep one secret!</p><p>"I can't tell you that," he said solemnly, after a beat. "Ancient Lucario secret. No further questions."</p><p>Her mouth twisted in obvious suspicion. Indigo changed the subject. "Did you choose to name your house computer Avery, or did its loving computer parents choose it instead?"</p><p>"I chose the name," Violet responded, sufficiently distracted…perhaps more than he intended. Her eyes were dark as she glanced at her hands. She brightened at once, beaming at him as if nothing were wrong. "It's just a reminder to choose my battles carefully. And…and to never leave anyone behind."</p><p>It was Indigo's turn to go quiet with suspicion. He filed the information away for later. "Let's get some rest," he suggested mildly, realizing at once how exhausted he was.</p><p>She agreed wholeheartedly, and flat out ignored his offer to sleep on the roof, dragging him to a level of her house beneath the earth.</p><p>Strange fibrous carpet squished between his paws, scented like plastic, dust, and foam to his enhanced sense of smell. The basement was subtly colder, as beautifully finished as the upstairs, but less lived in. Violet swung open the oddly heavy door to her 'theatre room', flicking on deep-set lights.</p><p>A white sheet dominated the far wall of the multileveled room, facing two rows of black leather couches on raised platforms like coliseum seating. Rope lights illuminated the steps and edges, creating an odd ambiance. Pillows and plushies littered the floor around nests of blankets and comfortable chairs. Stuffed poké balls and button-eyed Ralts surrounded a giant plush Snorlax, nearly as big as the real thing, and made for sleeping.</p><p>He'd never seen anything so ridiculous, and loved it immediately.</p><p>But as tired as he was, he refused to smell like blood and <em>hospital</em> any longer. Violet taught him how to turn on the silly 'shower' with voice commands, and he discovered that soap and hot water created a very fluffy Lucario.</p><p>She returned from upstairs far later than his own shower, with wet hair and soft blue Psyduck pajamas…and laughed at his comically fluffed fur. He threw a master ball plushie at her face, declaring it revenge for his own capture, sparking a mass pillow fight. Soft poké balls flew, interspersed with plush dragons, their fierce claws made of felt. The war raged until Violet laughed so hard she could not continue, surrendering gracefully to her triumphant partner.</p><p>It was only after they had both settled down that they realized how much the movement had strained their respective wounds, albeit mostly healed, and decided to <em>not</em> do anything else.</p><p>Violet yawned huge, snuggling into her Snorlax bed. "We should get some sleep, don't you think?"</p><p>"That sounds perfect," Indigo agreed fervently. "After all, tomorrow we start our journey across this continent."</p><p>Violet groaned, covering her face with a pillow. "Or you know, we could rest for a week or so. Sleep in, finish the donuts, and maybe train a little…"</p><p>"That could work," Indigo admitted, undeniably relieved. "We did defeat a psychopath a short time ago. A break seems a reasonable thing to ask."</p><p>Violet smiled, hugging her pillow close, her dark hair mussed from the fight. She yawned again, her pretty eyes slipping closed. Her words slurred. "Then it's settled. Let's get healed up and get some rest. Good night, Indigo."</p><p>With their resolve forged, the two fell asleep surrounded by plushie Pokémon and comfy pillows, insulated in the underground theatre room. So soundproofed, no one could hear their antics.</p><p>And they could not hear anything, either.</p><p>As such, neither Violet nor Indigo heard the wail of the emergency evacuation alarm blaring through Pewter City, rising and falling in an undulating siren over the sleeping houses.</p><p>They missed the explosion that ripped apart the police station, half a city away.</p><p>The electric grid went down a few minutes later, choking off the alarms, and spreading panic as those woken by them realized part of the city was on fire.</p><p>And with the alarms disabled, and no one else home, neither of them heard the front door opening with a click.</p><p>Karo Asuna smiled, his orange eyes nearly glowing in the faint light, and shut the door quietly behind him.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Madness Within</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or a gold plated jet. Yeah, I know, disappointing on both counts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Darkness shrouded the serial killer's features as he stole through the silence, trailed by a floating Alakazam outlined in shimmering golden light. Shattered cuffs hung off his chafed wrists and ankles, their broken chain links hissing faintly against the hardwood floors.</p><p>A stolen dark coat hung low to his ankles, mostly hiding his shredded straitjacket, the high collar shielding half his face. Karo discarded his hat carelessly, running a hand through his blond hair as his exhausted Alakazam finally let his flickering psychic power drop. The perception field had been enough to make him unnoticeable, so passerby had simply looked past him as he walked away from the burning police station.</p><p>It would be weeks before Alakazam recovered fully from the lethal dose that had euthanized all his other Pokémon.</p><p>Karo's teeth grated together harshly.</p><p>Capture had always been a possibility. He'd planned against it <em>so carefully</em>, building up Alakazam's immunity to the lethal dose used by the police over the past <em>ten years</em>. His other partners had done the same…but apparently not long enough!</p><p>No matter. Alakazam was enough. His oldest and most trusted partner could easily alter the minds of those who removed his 'corpse', just enough that they believed him dead. After that, he'd caused blackouts and fires, rescuing Karo in the confusion. A preplanned failsafe…<em>just in case</em>.</p><p>Alone again, save his beloved mother's Alakazam. After tonight, no one would ever see him again. Or Violet, he mused inwardly.</p><p>He was not glad to be alive and free. He wasn't<em> anything</em>, but seething with dark purpose. Karo Asuna's week of burning rage had transformed; a simmering bed of white-hot coals, rather than an exploding volcano.</p><p>He checked the entire main level and found nothing of interest, save one locked door. Alakazam stretched forth one hand, glowing violent gold as the lock snapped apart. But inside was empty, save for newspaper clippings of a two-year-old obituary, and a book titled, "Gardevoir's Soul: The Black Hole Last Resort."</p><p>Undeterred, he hunted: relentless, methodical, and silent. Moving by the faint rippling glow of psychic distortion. Until he found <em>her</em>.</p><p>She was even younger than he remembered, all mussed black hair and vulnerable softness. She even wore matching blue pajamas with a childish Psyduck print, nestled in a cocoon of blankets in the heavy lull. Karo noted all this dispassionately through Alakazam's dim shine, leaning down on impulse to brush away the hair hiding a face he hardly remembered.</p><p>Silver-blue light flared before he touched her, and Karo had just enough time to register the Lucario's snarling face illuminated by aura flames before a steel-spiked fist drove into his cheekbone with a crack! Urgent pain arced from the impact, and Karo stumbled back on sheer instinct, the wind of a second blow gusting across his skin.</p><p>Alakazam's light vanished, plunging the room into total darkness.</p><p>It didn't help. Karo scrambled backwards in blank-minded shock, the Lucario's advance lit up in the strobe-light flashes of aura fire that accompanied every murderous punch. Golden light surged between them in a wall, but Karo stopped it with a mental order, gritting his teeth as the shield exploded into amber shards.</p><p>His back hit the wall.</p><p>Lucario had him by the throat in an instant, lifting him with ease, and his aura fire burned <em>cold</em> against his thundering pulse.</p><p>"Give me a reason," the Lucario snarled in a harsh snap. The dark mask across his blue fur was striking in the ethereal flames, turning his crimson eyes to savage pits. The pressure in Karo's head bellowed, his skin purpling from the stranglehold. "I <em>dare</em> you!"</p><p>Karo couldn't have spoken if he'd tried. Instead he smiled, if such a savage expression could be called such, pointing a finger at the sleeping girl.</p><p>And at the Alakazam touching her forehead, shining motes of light flickering in a swirl around them both.</p><p>The pressure around his throat disappeared in an instant.</p><p>"No!" Lucario shouted, diving for the teleporting duo. A white sunburst shone from the two in a blinding explosion of pure light, casting the Lucario's shadow stark black against the wall.</p><p>All three of them vanished in a crack.</p><p>Karo rubbed his throat, and waited. Alakazam returned with an atmospheric pop from the place it had been captured originally, shining with leftover energy. A monotonous, familiar voice echoed into his mind.</p><p>"<em>It is done.</em>"</p><p>"Then it is time for us to leave," Karo murmured. "I, for one, am sick of this town. It's a pity we couldn't do more than set a few buildings on fire, and murder one <em>lucky</em> little girl and her arrogant pet." The stabbing pressure in his chest eased, and Karo laughed with growing exuberance, feather light now that the job was done. Alakazam waited until his mirth had faded.</p><p>Karo looked at the place the unsuspecting duo had been, true contentment painting his handsome face in cruel arrogance. "Have fun learning your <em>worthless</em> place and dying without hope…<em>Violet</em>. You'll know I won, before the end. You'll know!"</p><p>~o~</p><p>Teleportation was like being pulled deep underwater by unseen force. His bones creaked against each other in crushing pressure, and then, in an <em>instant</em>, it was gone. He hit cold, craggy stone in complete darkness.</p><p>Alakazam was the only thing he could see, glowing faintly in the otherwise pitch-black cavern. Indigo was on his feet in an instant, furious aura-light crackling down his fur. "Get away from her!" the boy-turned-Lucario snarled with inhuman rage, hurling a pulsing black wave at the bronze psychic. The Dark Pulse screamed through the shadows, somehow darker than even the night, edged with shattering violet lightning.</p><p>The dark scythe exploded against Alakazam's thin torso, hurling him away from the unconscious girl with a booming thundercrack. The psychic's pewter spoons bent cleanly in half in midair – golden power outlined Violet's body, yanking her sharply across the stone towards a yawning chasm.</p><p>Indigo <em>swore</em>, abandoning his attack to dive towards her, paws scraping against the stone, but he wouldn't make it!</p><p>She slipped over the edge, vanishing from view as Indigo skidded across the ground – catching her wrist without a second to spare. Every muscle in his body strained to prevent her fall, a rough shout breaking free from the effort.</p><p>Violet's eyes fluttered. "Indigo?" she murmured, still on the edge of sleep.</p><p>Her eyes snapped open, finding herself hanging off a cliff in total darkness instead of safe at home. She screamed, nearly jerking herself free of his paw on terrified reflex.</p><p>"I've got you!" Indigo gasped, hoping he was telling her the truth. "<em>Hang on!</em>" Aura strengthened his muscles into steel, and he hauled the slight girl over the rim of the chasm. Alakazam was gone, he noticed irritably.</p><p>Violet's quick gasps echoed in the stale air, as she rested on her hands and knees. "What…how did-!" She took a deep breath. "Is this a dream?" she whispered shakily, looking blindly in his direction.</p><p>"I wish," Indigo growled, his sharp eyes adjusting to the darkness enough to see her face, his own night vision far from human.</p><p>Violet listened in silence as he filled her in.</p><p>"You have <em>got</em> to be kidding me," she concluded finally. "Where are we?"</p><p>"I do not know," Indigo admitted. She was taking this rather well…all things considered, that is. "A cave."</p><p>He could feel her disparaging look. "Got anything else?"</p><p>"It is a dark cave," Indigo supplied helpfully. "There are many rocks. And a cliff."</p><p>Violet stood shakily, scooting away from the edge. "This doesn't make sense. Why send us here? Wherever here is? If Karo escaped, why not just…"</p><p>She trailed off, not finishing the thought that had already crossed both their minds. "I do not know," Indigo said quietly, rising as well. "But we are lucky to be alive. We should leave this place immediately."</p><p>"I know all the major cave systems in Kanto," Violet said, squinting as her human eyes adjusted slowly. "If we're still in Kanto that is." She scraped her bare foot against the rock. "This isn't Diglett Cave, or we'd be standing on loose packed earth." She took a deep breath. "<em>Hello?</em>" she shouted at the top of her lungs, making Indigo jump.</p><p>"<em>Hello…hello…</em>" the cave echoed back, and silence fell deep upon them once more. Violet's voice was a whisper as the echo died. "Someone would have heard if we were in Mount Moon. There are always campers and rangers in those tunnels."</p><p>"It's a start," Indigo encouraged, mildly impressed. "What does that leave?"</p><p>Violet closed her eyes, her forehead screwing up. "I can't smell seawater, which rules out the Seafoam Islands. That narrows it down to two," she said, holding up two fingers. "The pitch dark could be Rock Tunnel, but it doesn't rule out Victory Road. We're in one of those two."</p><p>She opened her eyes. "That's good news. Victory Road has regular ranger patrols to rescue trainers who weren't strong enough to fight through. And Rock Tunnel is pitch-black, but filled with weak Pokémon. We can get out if we're there."</p><p>Violet gingerly felt her way to a wall as she spoke, testing each step with her foot to make sure she wasn't about to step off another surprise chasm. Her pale hand brushed an outgrowth of embedded crystal, and it flared to brilliant blue light at her touch. The crystal beacon started a chain reaction, light rippling through the hundreds of crystals embedded in the pitch-black stone, reflecting off the stunned face of Violet Hikari.</p><p>Most of the jagged quartz-like crystals were taller than he was, though smaller gems peeked from the ceiling. Veins of the same cerulean crystal branched through the polished black stone, dancing motes of blue and silver shining within. Indigo watched the reaction with interest, taking note of the shape of the cavern they were in.</p><p>"Does that narrow it down to one location?" he asked curiously, wondering if such displays were common in Kanto. He was fairly sure the crystals weren't going to kill them somehow, but couldn't be certain.</p><p>Violet stood frozen still.</p><p>Shell-shocked.</p><p>"Violet?" Indigo inquired, tilting his head. She didn't respond, and he stepped in front of her, peering at her ashen face. "Is something wrong?"</p><p>"I know where we are," she whispered, with a curiously blank expression. "This is Cerulean Cave. And we're going to die."</p><p>He frowned sharply. "It cannot be so bad," he refuted instantly, shaking his head. "We can handle a <em>cave</em>, so long as we find the exit. Are there ranger patrols here?"</p><p>"It's forbidden," Violet said numbly, her mind retreating far away from her voice, still staring unblinking at the fading crystals. "No one comes <em>here</em>! It's not just suicide, it's <em>illegal </em>for anyone weaker than the Elite Four to set foot inside alone!"</p><p>Violet had already told him of the famed Elite Four. Powerful trainers whose strength defied imagination, the leaders of the country of Kanto, led by the one known as 'Champion'. They were the best of the best, the pinnacle all serious trainers strove to overcome…and each and every one of them was stronger than any Gym Leader.</p><p>A bucket of water doused his scornful arrogance. "Are you sure? If you've only heard stories, perhaps you made a mistake…"</p><p>But Violet was already shaking her head. "I've been here before," she explained in a shaking whisper. She flinched self-consciously at his shocked hiss. "I'm not-! Not <em>that</em> strong, but…I knew someone…my best friend, he was…" She took a deep breath, struggling to gather herself. "<em>Daniel Knight</em> was worthy to enter. He was incredible. So much so that everyone knew his name, a few years ago. He challenged the Dark Master, Karen of the Elite Four, and <em>won</em>. She brought him here as a reward, and he even convinced her to allow me to tag along."</p><p>He'd never gotten this much personal information out of her before. Indigo carefully filed away the information for later, especially the name Daniel, which she'd spoken so reluctantly. "You weren't a trainer at that point, correct?"</p><p>She shook her head 'no'. "I was just there to see. I was safe enough, with one of the Elite Four and <em>him</em> there with me. But Indigo, this place is a <em>nightmare</em>! The Pokémon here are monsters that defy imagination – even Da-…even <em>he</em> lost against some of them, and he was the best trainer I've ever met!"</p><p>A cold pit grew in his stomach as she spoke. "Just what are you saying?" he checked warily. Monsters…it couldn't be similar to Tero Akkarin's experimentation…could it? "These <em>are</em>…normal Pokémon?"</p><p>Violet turned to look at him, fear strangling her words. "To put it to scale? Every Pokémon here is at <em>least</em> as strong as Karo's partners. There are no weak Pokémon in Cerulean Cave. And there are <em>thousands</em> that call this place home."</p><p>Both fell quiet, listening to far off cries made unidentifiable by distance, slithering rasps, and the beating of leathery wings.</p><p>Indigo gathered himself first, clearing his head with a rough shake. "Alright," he growled, scarlet eyes composed. "What do we do?"</p><p>"We don't <em>do </em>anything!" Violet gasped, true panic beginning to set in. "Oh Indigo, we're dead already, we just haven't realized it yet!"</p><p>"No," Indigo said firmly. "I refuse to believe we cannot get out of this. We did not defeat a psychopathic serial killer with a team of monsters to be killed by a <em>cave</em>. What supplies do we have?"</p><p>Violet emptied her pajama pockets, their only 'supplies' for survival making a small pile on the black stone.</p><p>It wasn't much.</p><p>She had a dead remote battery, half a stick of bubble gum, and Mr. Fin's minimized master ball. But Indigo decided to be optimistic, and count the bandages wrapping their wounds as well.</p><p>Essentially, they had to fight through a monster infested nightmare cave without food, water, or supplies. Both of them were recovering from terrible injuries. Indigo was still unable to use his aura vision to navigate. On the bright side, they had a battery and a Magikarp with delusions of grandeur on their team.</p><p>"Thank goodness this isn't going to be too easy," Indigo grumbled. "It might injure my pride if I thought the universe wasn't out to get me."</p><p>Violet didn't respond, bone-pale and stricken, searching the darkness beyond the crystal's glow as if afraid something was going to leap out at their throats. They weren't going to get very far if she couldn't pull herself together. And shy little girl or not, he <em>needed</em> her operating at a hundred percent. "Don't look so glum," Indigo said cheerfully, far more nonchalant than he felt. "After all, we're in an empty part of the cave, aren't we? What's the worst thing that could happen?"</p><p>As if on cue, the ground shook under their feet in an ominous growl.</p><p>"You…did not just say that!" Violet whispered, wide-eyed and ashen. She scrambled to her bare feet, stuffing their 'supplies' back into her pajama pocket. "Never, <em>never</em>, say that! We're definitely going to die <em>now</em>!"</p><p>An avalanche roar drowned out her words as the stony ground under their feet vibrated like a bass drum. Crashing earthen thunder rolled from the dark depths, like stone blades clashing in a deadly duel, as a hoard of biolithic creatures rampaged through the arched cavern tunnel. Crystals lit up in miniature flares as the Rhyhorn herd barreled into the cave, their stony limbs crashing against the black stone in a staccato cacophony.</p><p>It was impossible to describe the sheer <em>force</em> of the sound. It was a physical sensation, a rumble vibrating in his bones, a shattering and all-encompassing landslide of noise!</p><p>Fear only heightened the visceral impact of the roaring wall of sound. A single Rhyhorn could kill a person entirely on accident, running at full speed. There were at least <em>fifty</em> Rhyhorn stampeding towards the two vulnerable, and very squishable partners.</p><p>Indigo slipped into battle mode, sliding his left foot back into a warrior's stance. Rhyhorn were nothing special, he reminded himself. A well-timed Force Palm or two would deter the stone golems-</p><p>
  <em>"Every Pokémon here is at least as strong as Karo's partners."</em>
</p><p>Indigo hesitated, his muscles jerking as he remembered her words.</p><p>Remembered <em>that battle</em>.</p><p>And looking at that stampede…a jolt of true fear arced down his spine.</p><p>Time enough to worry after they died, he decided. The warrior set aside his emotions and hardened his battle stance in front of Violet, as an avalanche of super-powered Rhyhorn hurtled towards them both with no signs of stopping.</p><p>~o~</p><p>On Violet's tenth birthday, Daniel Knight took her into the field for the very first time.</p><p>She'd been gloomy all day, despite trying so hard to smile. Because even though it was her birthday, it was also the day she should have begun her Pokémon journey. She'd tried to be alright, but couldn't help the sadness deep in her chest. She'd laughed her way through a small party with Daniel's family, nodded politely at her father's gift, delivered via his secretary, eaten herself sick on birthday cake, and then gone home, where she could let her fake smile drop. No one was home. She'd gone up to her room and pulled out her worn book on the species of Kanto, the pages littered with graffiti notes and her top favorite names, and, since no one could see, let herself cry.</p><p>A knock at her third-story window surprised her. She'd wiped away her tears hurriedly, and opened the glass to see the twelve-year-old Daniel hovering there on his Pidgeot. He'd held out a hand, a familiar grin on his mischievous face, and an unmistakable challenge in his striking golden eyes. And even though she knew it was against the rules, and if caught, she would get in more trouble than she'd <em>ever</em> been in before, Violet had taken his hand, and leapt through the window. She still remembered how her heart pounded as Pidgeot soared through the skies of Kanto, how she'd clutched her arms around his waist so tightly he'd complained she was trying to kill him, and how quickly the night fell, blanketing the cold sky in glittering stars. They'd wandered the endless grassy region for an hour or so, laughing and pointing out wild Pokémon, and Violet had not been afraid, because Daniel was with her.</p><p>And then, at the edge of a glassy lake, he'd hushed her laughter, and told her to stay perfectly still.</p><p>They came through the white ash and birch trees, fiery manes chasing shadows from the night, prancing easily between each other with bodies as pale as the full moon reflected on the lake. The Rapidash herd spilled out from the forest, each one a flaming beacon in the night, their intelligent eyes shining hot like fresh embers. There were hundreds in the herd; brash, newly evolved youngsters challenging others with razor-sharp horns, baby Ponyta huddled with cautious eyes near their mothers, and wizened elders with burned-down manes. She'd stared with impossibly huge eyes at the flaming spectacle, unable to speak. Daniel had nudged her, pointing out the leader of the herd.</p><p>She'd clutched his arm as the Rapidash lord took notice of them. The fiery stallion tossed his head, cantering over to their location, bringing half the herd with him.</p><p>She hadn't been able to breathe as the Rapidash surrounded them in a loose circle, their presence alone heating the air like a midsummer's noon. Their valiant leader had a jagged horn broken in battle, and long white scars marring his creamy coat. The flames of his mane burned crimson and gold.</p><p>"You take care of this," Daniel had whispered, his voice laced with laughter at the look of utter betrayal she gave him. She'd never battled before, only watched. She was certain he was making fun of her, on her <em>birthday</em> no less, certain she was about to make a fool of herself trying to win a battle she knew Daniel could handle on his own. But instead of giving her one of his poké balls Daniel Knight had given her a red-skinned apple, and pushed her towards the battle-scarred leader of the Rapidash.</p><p>She'd never been so terrified. Violet had held out the apple with both hands, eyes as huge as saucers, absolutely sure she was about to die.</p><p>The Rapidash had bowed his horned head, taking the apple from her palm with care. And then reared up on his hind legs with a high-pitched whinny. Violet fell on her backside with shock. But the Rapidash simply spun on his hind legs, cantering away, her offering accepted. The herd took motion, racing through the night as one being, moving with such speed their manes cascaded out like sunset comets.</p><p>They'd watched them go, until finally, Daniel offered her a hand up.</p><p>"Being a trainer isn't all about battling," her best friend explained, as the fiery herd disappeared. "It's about understanding Pokémon. Brute force will only get you so far. Knowledge about Pokémon and their quirks is more valuable than sheer strength. Someday, it could save your life. Happy birthday, Violet."</p><p>That night had been her best birthday present. She remembered, as the Rhyhorn herd rushed towards them in the pale crystal light. As Indigo stood in front of her, preparing to battle an opponent he could not possibly defeat.</p><p>As she realized this time, <em>she</em> was the trainer. And her skills were needed!</p><p>"No!" Violet shouted, over the roar of clashing rock. She grabbed Indigo's paw, pulling him towards the stampede. "Follow my lead!"</p><p>"What are you <em>doing?</em>" Indigo's voice was nearly drowned out as Violet pulled them into a reckless sprint.</p><p>She reached her top speed maybe twenty feet from the front wall of Rhyhorn, her heart pounding a painful rhythm in her chest that had nothing to do with exertion. She let go of Indigo's paw, hoping he would follow her example, ignoring the screaming voice in the back of her head!</p><p>The cavern they'd teleported into had only one exit, not counting the deep scar of the ravine. The Rhyhorn didn't seem to know, or care, that they were barreling straight towards a solid stone wall at top speed. They spread out as they ran, their herd stretching from the wall to the edge of the chasm.</p><p>Violet charged the lead Rhyhorn head on, screaming half in challenge and half in bone-numbing terror. And right before she should have been a Violet-shaped smear on the ground, she <em>jumped</em>.</p><p>Time suspended as she hung in midair – then her feet slammed on the squat Rhyhorn's back, instantly leaping again as the living golem continued on without a care. She heard Indigo curse behind her, doing the same with needlessly acrobatic grace.</p><p>"<em>Rhyhorn are fast, strong, and nearly impossible to stop rampaging,</em>" Daniel said through her memories, tossing a poké ball lazily up into the summer breeze. "<em>In fact, they don't stop until they hit something solid. You'll never stop a stampede yourself, so don't try. If you can't escape, jump. Rhyhorn are short, and aren't intelligent enough to care about a person bouncing off them. All you need is some speed, timing, and a healthy dose of luck…</em>"</p><p>Booming drowned out Violet's screams entirely as she leapt off another Rhyhorn, nearly slipping. Adrenaline turned her heartbeat into a thundering roar, sheer white surging through her terrified mind in lieu of thoughts. Her bare foot slipped on a stony hide on her next step. Violet jolted, grabbing the Rhyhorn's ridged spine on instinct before she hit the ground, wind howling through her hair as she screamed-</p><p>"<em>Violet!</em>"</p><p>The shadow of her Lucario changed direction, leaping off his Rhyhorn with a freaking <em>front flip</em> to land on her uncaring taxi's back, grabbing her arms in an instant. Indigo scooped her up and leapt with aura-enhanced strength, carrying them over the last of the herd in a wide arc. His feet cracked the stone, and he hissed on impact.</p><p>Violet's breath came in short gasps, terror shooting lightning through her veins. Indigo set her down carefully, his own muscles shaking. "That was utterly insane," her Lucario informed her, equal parts furious and impressed. "<em>Never</em> do that again!"</p><p>Meanwhile, the Rhyhorn struck the far wall in droves like crashing thunder, the boom knocking clouds of thick dust from the ceiling. They shook their heads once, and ambled around peacefully as though nothing had happened. Violet brushed her mussed dark hair away from her face and laughed breathlessly, giddy with relief.</p><p>"We can't win by fighting. There are too many powerful Pokémon here. We need to avoid battles at all costs, and focus on getting through the cave," Violet explained, her eyes fever bright with the high of facing death and <em>surviving</em>. "I think you were right. We can't give up hope. If we do, it means we'll lose before we even begin."</p><p>Ominous growling rumbled directly behind them, echoing from the dark cavern the Rhyhorn had come from. Indigo moved immediately, putting himself between her and the unknown cavern, his ears perked furiously for even the smallest sound.</p><p>Her smile faded. "What's in there?" Violet asked in a small voice, peering blindly into the dark.</p><p>"I do not know," Indigo admitted, his eyes closed to hear a little better. "My aura vision is still burned out. I can <em>sense</em> a little, but it's easier to read someone I know than an unnamed enemy. There are many, and they are strong." He took a deep breath to steel himself, looking at her steadily in the faint light of the crystals. "But that's the only exit. We have to go inside, or else stay in this cavern forever with those Rhyhorn."</p><p>She looked at the stony herd at the other end of the cavern. They were currently amusing themselves by ramming each other violently in a distorted game of bumper cars. "Let's…let's go, then," she whispered, her blood running cold. "No sense waiting around."</p><p>Indigo lifted a spiked paw without another word, summoning ethereal aura-light to push the shadows back in a clean circle around them. Violet hung close, holding Mr. Fin's master ball tight in her pocket like a good-luck charm.</p><p>Scalding air met them.</p><p>There were no crystals to light their way in the path ahead. She threw a look backwards just as the ghostly crystalline luminescence faded behind them, giving the impression there was no way back.</p><p>Indigo held out an arm, stopping her advance. His ears swiveled wildly as growling erupted around them in a slow, suspicious rumble, picking up words and phrases where she could hear only noise. "We haven't come to fight!" he called into the darkness. "I <em>swear to you</em>, we mean no harm!"</p><p>The grumbling undertones faded at his words, silence descending abruptly.</p><p>A shadowed projectile hit Indigo's outstretched paw with a crack. He cried out, the aura-light disappearing as he clutched his injured paw, plunging them into pitch-black darkness.</p><p>Violet clapped her hands over her ears as a <em>bone-chilling</em> screech of metal on stone pierced the air, like rusted-iron fingernails on a tortured chalkboard. Sullen crimson flared amongst the dark, as a whirling horn drilled through stone until <em>lava</em> gushed from the wound in a tide of blood-red molten rock. Violet flinched as more drilling erupted around them, and new pools of glittering lava burst from the stone, marking a circle around the two of them.</p><p>Through the flickering lava light, Violet and Indigo finally saw their mystery foes. The creatures stood on two legs, armored in thick grey hide, each breathing statue sporting a tough drill on their foreheads. The flecks of searing lava spotting their hides didn't bother them in the slightest – some stood <em>in</em> the magma pools, their grey skin glowing red hot.</p><p>Broken crystal shards twinkled forlornly against the walls – broken by the Rhydon, either to test the strength of their horns, or to make the veins of lava that warmed their nests easier to find. Deep holes bored into the rock suggested underground habitats as well. As she watched, a Rhydon burst from the stone, bringing a rush of magma to the surface with her. She shook molten lava from her hide like water droplets, ambling to the side.</p><p>The cave couldn't have this much natural volcanic activity. The Rhydon had to have drilled to find lava veins, cultivating them to move closer to the surface. From there, it was easy to break open the top layers of cooled rock, exposing fresh lava when needed.</p><p>Violet jumped back from a few drops of molten rock as two <em>geysers</em> of lava exploded upwards in a rush, cooling rapidly into red-hot pillars on either end of a throne of black rock. A hulking Rhydon slumped in the throne, a crown of jagged black obsidian hanging crooked over his glaring crimson eyes, filmed over with milky age. He grumbled out a stream of speech with the timbre of a command, addressing Indigo.</p><p>"We offer no challenge," Indigo repeated firmly, and to his credit he never once flinched as the circle of Rhydon rumbled ominously in response. Their horns spun in a high-pitched whine, each of the overpowered Rhydon glaring distrustfully at the intruders through the crimson glow. Violet tried to stand tall, but her clasped hands shook.</p><p>The King of the Rhydon spoke again in a crack, half-rising from his throne with visible effort. At his accusing words, the whine of the drills increased to a fever pitch, the watching Rhydon shifting and stamping in place.</p><p>She flinched as a thrown rock exploded by her bare feet. "Indigo?" Violet whispered, holding her crossed arms tight.</p><p>"They think we're here to capture them, or steal their treasures," Indigo explained in a rush, without looking at her. "Their king claims since I am with a human, I must be subservient, acting on orders. They believe humans lie, cheat and steal, and are utterly without honor. Therefore, I also am believed a liar, simply because I am a captive of <em>you</em>." He spoke the last words with amusement that didn't fit their situation.</p><p>The King slammed his massive forearm on his throne, crushing the solid stone armrest into rubble and dust, and Violet squeaked, her eyes huge. He snarled out a rant, punctuated by a thick coughing that belched up black ash, sweeping his arm out in a gesture of defiance over the increasingly furious Rhydon horde. Indigo stepped forward quickly, portraying a façade of confident strength.</p><p>"Your majesty claims humans lie," Indigo interrupted, quelling the building anger of the watching monsters. "I am far from disagreement. They are terrible creatures."</p><p>"Indigo!" Violet hissed, casting fearful looks at the Rhydon as they focused on her with accusing bestial eyes.</p><p>The Lucario inclined his head just enough for her to see him wink.</p><p>"They're awful cheats, cowards, and quite frankly they smell bad," he continued with a disparaging sigh. "There's nothing good about them. <em>Especially</em> this one. I was an esteemed warrior in my territory, when she captured me using a cheating magic sphere. And even though she is stupid, and doesn't eat well, it is now my job to protect her. It is most unfortunate, but I am coping."</p><p>The angry rumbles faded, becoming sympathetic, and Violet's face burned tomato red. The King cast an inquiring look at her, offering a suggestion in a speculative grumble.</p><p>"While I thank your majesty for the offer, I'm afraid my duty is clear. I must babysit this smelly human until such a day comes when I am released," Indigo said, throwing in a dramatic sigh for good measure. "It is only honorable, since I <em>was</em> captured, magic poké ball or no. I must help her get out of this cave, and your territory, since she is my responsibility now. I ask that we be allowed to continue on without quarrel. Any directions would also be much appreciated, since my human will get hungry if not fed regularly."</p><p>The Rhydon King blinked once, bursting into gales of bellowing laughter, which was soon taken up by all his watching subjects. He made a gesture, and two bulky bodyguards drilled down a wall, which looked as if it had been recently formed from lava, revealing a path out. Crystals twinkled beyond, wafting relatively fresh air into the overheated cavern.</p><p>Heat flooded Violet's cheeks as they walked through the line of suddenly sympathetic Rhydon, trying to look harmless in her cute blue pajamas, her dark hair hiding her face. They had to stop twice for Indigo to shake paws with Rhydon, or occasionally get a pat on the back.</p><p>Just before the exit, a Rhydon rumbled a sentence to Indigo, handing him a tattered brown knapsack. They stepped into the hallway, and the two bodyguard Rhydon remade the wall with globs of half-cooled lava they handled like play dough.</p><p>Indigo touched a dimly glowing crystal to make it burst back into full light. "I am not smelly," she insisted, as soon as the wall was solid behind them.</p><p>Indigo's mouth twitched.</p><p>"Of course you're not," he assured, pushing the brown bag at her. "The Rhydon claimed a human left that bag here about ten years ago. There might be something useful inside."</p><p>The front pockets were torn out of the rough burlap bag, but the inside was whole. There were two rock-hard granola bars, a canteen of putrid water, and loose trash inside. Violet shook out the dust and garbage, and emptied the brackish-green water from the canteen before screwing the lid back on. She swung the bag onto her back by the one intact strap, glad to have at least one tool.</p><p>"This path leads to a large cavern up ahead," Indigo instructed, pointing into the dark unknown. "We need to go straight until the river. After that we're on our own."</p><p>Violet's spiked breathing was slowing down to a normal pace, her fading adrenaline leaving her cold. She tried to focus. "Right," she said, walking into the dark with a bravery she didn't feel. "Let's get going." Crystals flared at her approach, lighting small portions of the path forward.</p><p>He took in her expression silently, not fooled. "We will get out of this," he offered unexpectedly. "You have my word."</p><p>He couldn't guarantee that, a voice in her head whispered. Violet pushed the thought aside. She sighed, shooting him a look through her dark fringe of hair. "Look, I know this isn't…good," she summarized lamely. "But at least we're not alone, right?"</p><p>Indigo smiled ruefully, the worst of his worries appeased. He opened his mouth, as if to say something cool sounding in reply, when a glob of pink goo fell onto his head from the shadowy ceiling. "Gah!" he yelped instead, as the goo laughed helplessly, covering his eyes with its slimy pink arms.</p><p>"Ditto!" the creature quipped happily. Indigo batted at it, trying in vain to rip it away. The Ditto simply reformed itself around his head and reaching arms, as impossible to grasp as water.</p><p>"This is <em>not</em> funny!" Indigo insisted sharply, as Violet's initial shock turned into smothered giggles. "Stop your silly laughter and help me, stupid girl!" The Ditto on his head mimicked his hand movements with an air of pompous regality, posing like a goo-shaped supermodel, and Violet laughed behind the hands clasped over her mouth.</p><p>"H-Hey there, little Ditto," Violet choked through her mirth. "Can I have my friend back?"</p><p>The Ditto thought for a moment, and then shook its head 'no'. It wiggled and did the wave with its pink tendril arms, swaying on the enraged Lucario's head. "I see," Violet managed, still struggling to contain her giggles. "I'll trade for him then. Here!" She presented the Ditto with her gift on one knee, as if presenting a glorious prize to a monarch.</p><p>"Half a stick of gum?" Indigo complained, scraping enough Ditto away from his eyes to see. "Is that all I'm worth to you?"</p><p>The Ditto apparently considered the gum to be more valuable than Indigo. It regarded its gift with curious surprise which turned to glee at Violet's explanation on how to chew it, and squelched off Indigo's head. Violet wondered if giving bubble gum to something that <em>looked</em> like bubble gum was cannibalism. If so, the Ditto didn't care in the slightest.</p><p>"We should move on," Indigo said tensely, shooting glances at the shadows. "Do we knock out the Ditto?"</p><p>"It's harmless," Violet cooed, tickling the loudly-chewing blob. She straightened, her hand curling around Mr. Fin's master ball for reassurance. "You're right though. Let's get going. Goodbye, little one!"</p><p>The Ditto mimicked her wave, and then froze, peering down as she walked away. Frozen with indecision.</p><p>But it stayed as they left, and the two wounded teenagers ventured on alone.</p><p>Into the heart of Cerulean Cave.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Armor of Bone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: The only Pokemon I own is a terrible pink OC recolor of a Charmander, DO NOT STEAL!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>It didn't take long for Indigo to realize why Cerulean Cave was the most dangerous place in Kanto.</p><p>He hadn't wanted to admit things stronger than him existed. He'd consoled himself after fighting Karo by telling himself the man was an exception, far stronger than average. And after all, hadn't he defeated most of his team all by himself? He'd been evading capture for an entire <em>year</em>, including the period of a few months he hadn't known how to battle as a Lucario <em>at all</em>. He'd grown arrogant without realizing, thinking he was special.</p><p>It wasn't until a single punch from a Machoke knocked him out cold that Indigo realized he was still an amateur in the art of battle. He'd ignored Violet's order to stay away, thinking he couldn't lose to an unevolved Pokémon.</p><p>The next thing he remembered was the bitter taste of a revive seed, which Violet had found along the way. He'd spent the next five minutes coughing up blood.</p><p>Items littered the waysides. Before long, Violet's bag grew heavy with abandoned bottles of full restores, max elixirs, and PP ups. She found three rare candies, giving them all to Indigo to eat immediately, a dusk stone, and two glittering nuggets of gold. Indigo wondered why there were so many rare items left abandoned and unused…and decided it was better <em>not</em> to think of what had happened to their previous owners.</p><p>But more surprising than anything was the incredible skill of Violet Hikari.</p><p>Ever since he'd met Violet, Indigo had been taken off guard again and again by her capabilities. As it turned out, he'd never seen her true abilities until now, when they needed it most. They would have died a hundred times over had it not been for Violet's incredible tactical knowledge.</p><p>Their path led them through twisting corkscrews of ink-black stone, lit by jagged aquamarine crystals. Tunnels and natural halls connected the larger caverns, which were, more often than not, inhabited by families of wild Pokémon. Species tended to group together, altering specific caverns to suit their needs. They were territorial, powerful, and rarely friendly to intruders.</p><p>"Hold your breath," Violet whispered, staring intently into a terraformed cavern. Sweltering jungle humidity wafted from the underground habitat, reeking with the stench of rotting flesh. Thick root-like vines dangled from a broken ceiling, housing vivid yellow flora with poison-green spots. Some of the plants <em>breathed</em>. "Don't inhale after we go in, no matter what. The smell alone will knock us out if they wake up."</p><p>"You know what's causing that?" Indigo choked out, his paws clamped over his sensitive nose. The pale girl nodded, pointing at the scarlet blooms growing from the deep moss, mottled dark crimson with flecks of ivory. As Indigo watched, one of the flowers shifted; each and every one was <em>alive</em>, their bodies buried safely in the fleshy moss.</p><p>"They're Gloom and Vileplume," Violet explained. "And if you think the smell is bad <em>now</em>, wait until they feel endangered. The toxins in their flowers can spread for a <em>mile</em>. This close, we'd be knocked out instantly. And if we fall asleep in that nest, I don't think we'd ever get out again.</p><p>Indigo shuddered at the thought of a <em>worse</em> smell than the current stinking rot, but took a deep a breath as he could manage. He followed Violet into the heart of the jungle nest, his eyes watering in the rancid perfume of the dead. The two battered partners crept through the deadly scarlet garden, moving gingerly around slumbering flowers.</p><p>Violet pointed out the exit, half-concealed behind earthy roots, and they escaped without incident, gratefully breathing the still-rotten air. Violet laughed breathlessly, eyes shining.</p><p>They took directions from a suspiciously helpful Marowak, who claimed the upper caverns were past the Magneton horde, wherever that was. Violet wandered around seemingly aimlessly, doubling back and taking new routes, much to Indigo's growing irritation. A steady whine grated against his skull. He was at his snapping point when they rounded the corner into a bone-dry room buzzing with static electricity.</p><p>Violet tapped her ears at his shocked look. "Magneton cause earaches the closer you get to them," she explained, as if it were something everyone ought to know. He stared at her incredulously as she walked away, and shook his head with bemusement.</p><p>Rivers riddled the dark labyrinth, shining electric blue with submerged crystals and hidden secrets. Twice they crossed over the twisting currents to reach a new tunnel in the black stone, though Violet had difficulty swimming with her healing left arm. Once, she stopped him from entering the water, pointing out the spiraling currents whipping against each other across the surface. "That's a Seadra territory battle," she said matter-of-factly. "You do <em>not</em> want to get caught in one of those. Take it from someone who knows." She touched a faint scar on her right arm in memory.</p><p>They waited by the side of the river until the currents died, leaving the surface crystal clear once more. Indigo jerked, realizing they were being watched by a blue Pokémon with an odd expression, hidden in the shadows. He grabbed Violet's arm, not daring to speak, but she took one glance at the pained creature and rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Wobbufett don't attack first under any circumstances," she dismissed, ignoring the staring thing entirely as she stood. Despite her assurances, Indigo kept a wary eye on the strange monster until they were out of sight.</p><p>Next was an otherworldly cavern lit by mystic violet crystals. Strangely, it was empty, besides a perfectly circular pool in the center of the cavern. The deep blue waters shone from below, surrounded by mounds of broken rock.</p><p>Carefully, they walked inside. Checking for the enemies that <em>had</em> to be there. But the coast seemed to be clear, and Violet bent down to fill her canteen from the still, inviting waters, kicking a rock into the pond by mistake. Ripples erupted across the surface, and with a hiss of acrid steam, the rock melted to blackened slag.</p><p>Shadows flitted across the acid pool, and Indigo gripped her arm tight, pointing <em>up</em>!</p><p>Venomoth fluttered lazily near the ceiling of the cathedral cavern, bumping against a vast crystalline chandelier dominating the ceiling in a living cloud. Scores of the swarm clung to the walls, their dust-scaled wings tucked in close as they surveyed the room with glimmering beady eyes - far too intelligent for comfort. Webbing held sticky white eggs high on the walls, hundreds of them grouped into a single trembling mass, tended by the fluttering nurses with the most shockingly purple wings.</p><p>Violet stepped back, her breath catching as she stared with wide eyes at the toxic swarm. Her foot brushed a crystalline vein on the floor. A chain reaction flared, lighting up every crystal on the <em>floor</em>, and the entire swarm took notice, attracted to the light below. They descended like a living tornado, their fragile wings beating a soft current into the stagnant air. Glittering dust rained from their wingbeats in a cloud of beautiful, effervescent death.</p><p>Dark-winged Venomoth alighted near the pool, filling the acrid waters with vivid purple scale dust…and for the first time, Indigo realized the broken rocks were <em>bones</em>, piles upon piles of them! Those tempted by the poisoned water died to feed the Venomoth horde, their bodily fluids sucked dry by hundreds of monstrous insects.</p><p>"Don't let the dust touch you!" Violet gasped out, pulling the neck of her shirt over her mouth. A Protect bubble sprang around them both, but the Venomoth didn't seem to care about attacking, bumping the glowing crystals fondly.</p><p>All the same, they were surrounded, with no easy escape. The scale dust fogged the air with bitter softness. And Indigo couldn't hold his Protect for long. He had no ideas or clever tricks, and they <em>didn't have time</em>!</p><p>"Venomoth with dark wings are deadly poison," Violet recited by his side, her eyes tracking the insects with the deepest purple wings. "Venomoth with <em>light</em> wings cause minor paralysis." Most of the swarm were smaller, their wings pale grey violet.</p><p>Indigo looked at Violet. A moment of communication passed between them, and he let his Protect drop.</p><p>They walked slowly to avoid attention, holding hands so as not to get separated. Both tried not to breathe, though the dust only needed skin contact to affect them. Soft flakes gathered on Violet's skin and hair, and frosted Indigo's fur like snow, spreading numbing lethargy wherever it touched. Every time a Venomoth flew near with wings as dark as midnight, Indigo threw out his will, forming a Protect bubble around them both.</p><p>By the time they passed through the archway to freedom, neither could move properly. They collapsed outside the Venomoth den as the paralysis faded slowly, limp on the ground, but alive. It took half an hour for them to be able to move again, during which time a curious Raichu prodded Violet's face experimentally, and shocked Indigo once to see if he was alive, before leaving.</p><p>On and on it went. They battled only when there was no other alternative, traversing the cave with luck, skill, and occasional 'tactical retreats', which sounded better than 'running away like terrified children'. Indigo fought, Violet strategized, and between the two of them, against <em>all </em>odds, they were alive. They collected new scratches and bruises. Violet nearly lost an eye to a Golbat's fangs, leaving her with a long slash through her left eyebrow. Indigo fought often enough that he tasted coppery blood in his mouth, and his fists ached from striking his opponents.</p><p>And yet, somewhere in between battling side by side for their lives in a cave filled to the brim with demons incarnate, Indigo realized he was having <em>fun</em>.</p><p>He couldn't explain it. They were clearly fighting for their lives. And yet, Indigo felt better than he had in ages. He hadn't noticed how many of his emotions were suppressed to the point of nonexistence since being cursed, until they began to come <em>back</em>.</p><p>"Watch, how the wild human stalks her prey," he narrated with mock seriousness. "She is careful, deadly…but wait! Her opponent is unexpectedly powerful! Will she be able to prevail?"</p><p>Violet glared at him with half-hearted exasperation as she tried rather unsuccessfully to bite a rock-hard granola bar. They were hidden in a cozy niche to rest and take inventory of their gathered items. Indigo continued with growing amusement at her plight. "If only the human had food which was <em>easier</em> to eat, like granite, or maybe some nice bedrock, she would fare better…"</p><p>"I <em>will</em> throw this at you," Violet warned, brandishing her granola bar like a weapon.</p><p>Indigo flinched with pretend fear. "I don't want to get a concussion. I yield to your greater weaponry, supreme leader."</p><p>"You're in an awfully good mood," Violet noted, grinning despite herself. She used her left hand with care, after getting hit by a stray attack earlier. Indigo tried not to notice.</p><p>"Nothing like fighting for your life to bring out a sense of irony," he agreed, flashing her an easy grin. He leaned against the polished stone wall languidly, tucking his paws behind his ears. "In other ironic news, the girl with a Magikarp starter seems to actually know what she's doing, much to my shock..."</p><p>She went pink in the crystal light. "I know a little," she muttered, turning her attention back to her granola bar.</p><p>Indigo scoffed. "More than a little. I know quite a bit about Pokémon species myself, and even I'm shocked by the details you know. If I didn't know better, I'd say you had a psychic gift."</p><p>"I don't!" Violet shouted, turning to him abruptly with panicked eyes. Her cheeks darkened at her outburst, and her next words were hushed, an apology. "Sorry, I just…don't like psychics much."</p><p>He spoke after a beat. "It's not as though I blame you." She continued to look away, clearly uncomfortable. Indigo wondered why she felt so strongly about psychics. He continued, in an attempt to distract her. "Extra abilities in people can be terrifying. I knew a man once who could control fire."</p><p>It did the trick. Violet looked up with surprise, her discomfort disappearing. "Without Pokémon?"</p><p>"In a manner of speaking," Indigo admitted, warming to his story. He didn't let himself remember the <em>details</em> of what he had seen the power <em>do</em>, but explaining it was simple enough. "He was born without abilities, a normal child. He was taken away at a young age by a madman, along with his older sister. Experimentation gave the boy power, and took the life of his sibling. He could create, manipulate, and extinguish fire at will. He grew to be the most terrifying man I've ever encountered."</p><p>Tero Akkarin, the King of Fire. Indigo still remembered his face perfectly, down to every cruel detail. Thinking of him always made Indigo remember the smell of smoke, and the sound of screams. His was the kind of face that haunted nightmares.</p><p>"What kind of experiments?" Violet asked in a hushed voice, intrigued despite herself, the same way people were when asking about gruesome hospital patients.</p><p>Indigo smiled, knowing his answer would drive her curiosity through the roof. "Experiments with Pokémon eggs. The madman created a drug from the embryonic fluid found in various species of eggs which could infuse human beings with some of the abilities of Pokémon. Few of the test subjects survived. Even fewer retained their sanity. He called it the-"</p><p>"The Pokémon Experiment," Violet finished for him, matter-of-factly.</p><p>Indigo stared.</p><p>Violet blushed a little more. "It's from the Tales of Halladen book, right? My mom used to read it to me when I was little. It's all I really remember of her. You could have told me it was just a story beforehand. I actually believed you for a second there." She paused. "Indigo, how did <em>you</em> know about a story book tale?"</p><p>Indigo bolted upright as if she'd shocked him with a live wire. <em>Halladen.</em> To hear that name, spoken so casually on her lips! And though the memories of being <em>human</em> flooded through him, Indigo had never looked less human as he did right then. Lucario stood rigid above her with jolting scarlet eyes, his steel-spiked paws clenched and sparking wildly with erratic aura. "What do you know of Halladen?" Indigo Nightwalker demanded in a hoarse bark. He had not spoken the name of his home in so very long. It felt unfamiliar, a taste long forgotten in his mouth!</p><p>Violet went ashen at his sudden intensity, stammering over her words. "I-It's a story…about a princess who lived long ago. Indigo, it's not <em>real</em>. It's only a story…"</p><p>He had scared her. Indigo forced himself to soften his tone, past the emotion scorching its way through his hyper-alert mind! "Violet, it is important. Please…what story do you speak of?"</p><p>Before she could answer, a slithering, scraping rasp echoed ominously from the tunnel beside them.</p><p>Violet and Indigo exchanged a look. Violet gathered their items into her rucksack without a word as Indigo stood at alert, peering around the corner of their hidden niche with one eye.</p><p>"What-" Violet began in a whisper, cut off by Indigo's slashing gesture. He listened with closed eyes, his ears twitching slightly at every noise, and then-</p><p>Hissing uncurled from the darkness, like steam escaping a pipe, seemingly without source. Cold chills shuddered down his spine.</p><p>The Arbok slithered past their hideaway fluidly, snaking her scaled body in an undulating dance across the stone with startling speed. She held her hooded wedge of a head low to the ground, a poison-pink tongue flickering between gleaming bone fangs to taste the stale air. Tightly-packed purple scales encrusted her long, sinuous body as she slithered past.</p><p>And then more body came.</p><p>And <em>more</em>.</p><p>After eighteen feet, the Arbok's tail tapered down to a point and slid out of view. Every muscle in Indigo's body had frozen, adrenaline spiking his heartrate up and <em>up</em> in reaction to the presence of a predator. He'd forgotten to breathe. He did so, forcing his paralyzed brain to begin working once more.</p><p>The Arbok had come from the same direction they had. Which meant to continue, they would likely have to face her.</p><p>"Violet?" he hushed, barely audible, though he was fairly certain they were out of earshot.</p><p>"Arbok," Violet recited quietly, staring with sickened fear at the passageway. "Capable of crushing steel in their coiled embrace. Once Arbok sets their eyes on prey, they never give up the chase. They're ruthless, without mercy, and are one of the most horrifying predators in all of Kanto, second only to Gyarados. But if there's only one, we can win."</p><p>As if in answer to her statement, more hisses echoed darkly from the tunnel, growing in number and volume until the cave rang in a mind-numbing symphony. The rasp of scales on stone grew louder, and a tide of monstrous Arbok swam through the tunnel in a single mass.</p><p>Indigo reminded himself to rebuke Violet for tempting fate like that. This time it <em>hadn't</em> been his fault, a fact he intended to point out the moment they weren't in life-threatening danger.</p><p>It took two full minutes for the Arbok horde to pass by. They weren't in a hurry, twisting leisurely around each other with fluid grace. They ranged in size mostly from about ten feet to a whopping fifteen, their thickness and color varying considerably by individual, especially the vivid patterns adorning their flared hoods. Smaller, darting shapes twisted nervously near the edges of the horde, pale Ekans with darting tongues and lightning-fast reflexes. As they watched, an Arbok twisted like a whip and bit an Ekans in two, swallowing in two gulps between unhinged jaws, before continuing on as though nothing had happened.</p><p>And mixed in with the horde of already unusually large Arbok, a few creatures stirred which could only be called 'monsters'; Arbok thick enough to swallow a man whole, whose length exceeded mere imagination, skulking fearlessly in the midst of the cannibalistic tangle of predators.</p><p>They stayed in hiding for a good half hour to be certain they were in the clear. Eventually, the two decided one of them would check the path ahead, and ascertain which way the Arbok had gone. Violet introduced him to a game called rock-paper-scissors, which he lost, leaving him with the terrifying task of recon.</p><p>He slipped back into their hidden niche ten minutes later, shaking his head at Violet's expectant look. "They're in the cavern straight ahead," he announced grimly. "Looks like a nesting cavern. What's more, there don't seem to be any passageways <em>around</em> their nest. Have any ideas, brilliant leader?"</p><p>"Not a good one," Violet admitted in a dreading whisper.</p><p>She told him.</p><p>"You are correct, the plan is terrible," Indigo said bluntly. He sighed, kneading his forehead. "It does not seem as though we have much choice, however…"</p><p>"Arbok don't have good night vision," Violet explained in a hush, as they crept down the tunnel, carefully checking the nooks and crannies between stalagmites. "-or good vision at all, really. They use their senses of smell and hearing, along with the ability to sense temperature changes in the air. Which means if we don't <em>smell</em> like prey, we won't be<em> eaten</em> like prey."</p><p>She grinned triumphantly, pulling a clear, crackling tube from between two stones, which reeked like reptilian oil to Indigo's heightened senses. It was hollow and partially opaque, flaring out at the top in an oversized hood, still faintly marked with an Arbok's hypnotic pattern. Violet seemed pleased. "If the Arbok use this tunnel a lot, it makes sense there would be leftover skin. Arbok never stop growing after all. This one can be yours!"</p><p>Indigo caught the long, pliable skin some Arbok had shed, trying not to shudder at the texture. "There is one problem with this plan," he began, as Violet searched for another whole skin between rocks. "The Arbok didn't seem to have any problems with eating each <em>other</em>."</p><p>Her purple eyes were solemn. "Don't think about that too much."</p><p>Indigo let out a shuddering breath, and swung the Arbok skin over his shoulders like a cloak, pulling the hood down over his scarlet eyes. The bitter scent assaulted his nose, an acrid oily stench that was somehow as dry as sand. Violet donned her own shed skin, shielding her in a misty shroud which reminded him eerily of a ghost.</p><p>"From here on, do not speak. Move slowly, avoid attracting attention, and do <em>not</em> under any circumstances make a sudden move. If it comes to a fight, run as fast as you can, and leave me behind to buy yourself time," Indigo instructed, clearing his mind of anything but the mission at hand. He hesitated before adding on, "Be careful, Violet. If you die, I'll never forgive you."</p><p>She laughed quietly, nervous. "If we pull this off, we'll make <em>hiss-story</em>."</p><p>Indigo glared at her in sincere disgust. "Forget everything I just said."</p><p>Violet laughed in a hush, her eyes dancing.</p><p>And the two of them faced the yawning mouth of the Arbok den, and all that lay within. Violet inhaled deeply. When she breathed out, she stepped forward, hunching low beneath her Arbok-skin shroud. Indigo pulled his hood down low over his nose, and they entered the lair of venomous snakes.</p><p>Instant claustrophobia hit on entering the shallow tomb. Cracked ceilings hung over a bowl-shaped floor, too low to stand near the edges, but with plenty of space in the concave center. Yawning pits honeycombed the low walls, glittering red eyes shining from the darkness within.</p><p>The entire cavern was <em>covered</em> in enormous, writhing Arbok. Loops hung from pitted nests, sinuous bodies draped across each other, and coiled monsters slumbered in the center of the bowl like spaghetti. Fragile root webbing hung like nets from the cracked ceiling, filled with pale Ekans, the Arbok too heavy to climb after them. But as Indigo watched, a twenty-foot Arbok stretched the entire length of his body to snatch one of the slower children from the roots, balancing easily on the last ten inches of his tail alone. The behemoth swallowed the Ekans whole in three gulps, returning to his nap with the bulge still writhing in his stomach.</p><p>Indigo didn't have to look to know all the blood had just drained from Violet's face. He rather shared the sentiment. He could have handled a nice swarm of Jumpluff, or Butterfree, but <em>no</em>. He got giant cannibalistic Arbok instead.</p><p>If Indigo ever got to speak with fate, they were going to have some serious words.</p><p>They couldn't turn back, but he refused to be <em>entirely</em> useless to their survival. Despite the burning around his aura pathways, Indigo gingerly activated the lowest level of sensing he could manage – pain flared immediately, harsh, but manageable. At least he hadn't tried to use his eyes…</p><p>The countless Arbok glowed faintly blue and silver, <em>just</em> bright enough that he wouldn't step on a tail by accident in the dim light. Indigo took the lead, Violet silently shadowing his footsteps. The cast-off skins hissed against the polished floor, worn perfectly smooth by years of wear. His heart thudded against his ribcage as they moved forward, every sense on screaming alert as blood rushed hot through his ears. He picked his way through the mounds of sleeping Arbok, freezing when his gaze locked with a reptilian stare.</p><p>The Arbok watched him lazily through half-hooded eyes, too full to move. After a terrible moment, Indigo fought down a gulp, padding slowly around the creature, who watched them go without interest.</p><p>They were lucky. Most of the Arbok had settled down after an apparently successful hunting trip, and now lolled about, stuffed full and nearly comatose. They weren't on alert. After all, what stupid creature would <em>dare</em> come into their territory? Indigo stepped gingerly over a large tail, letting the excess skin slide behind him with a cringe, but the creature didn't notice anything amiss. Overwhelming relief stole his breath.</p><p>Violet had been right. The Arbok couldn't see clearly, and their scent was masked perfectly. His relief turned to a thrill of triumph, because it was <em>working</em>!</p><p>Movement on the ceiling caught his attention, and Indigo looked up.</p><p>A Ditto hung upside down, glued to the stone like sap, waving a happy greeting. Indigo couldn't believe his eyes. It couldn't be the same Ditto as before, could it?</p><p>The Ditto made a rude gesture with its jelly arms, proving it was, indeed, the same Ditto, chewing its gum happily, before blowing the largest bubble Indigo had ever seen.</p><p>His heart stopped. Indigo gestured frantically at the Ditto, trying to convey that if it continued, it <em>would</em> die, to no avail. The bubble popped loud in the near silence, spattering the Arbok below with bits of drool and sticky gum.</p><p>A chorus of enraged hisses erupted. An Arbok's hood flared menacingly, locking a heartless gaze on the Ditto above.</p><p>"<em>It is the fool,</em>" the Arbok hissed venomously, literal poison dripping from the ends of his jagged fangs. "<em>This time…<strong>we kill it</strong>!</em>" The battle cry was taken up in ripples across the cavern, focused on the apparently infamous Ditto, which was currently waving its butt at them gleefully.</p><p>Indigo tensed, moving closer to Violet as they tried not to gather attention to themselves. How could they have predicted <em>this</em>? Had the Ditto been following them, this whole time? But <em>why</em>?</p><p>The Ditto squelched off the ceiling to avoid a barrage of glowing purple needles, transforming mid-flip into a familiar taller shape. The Ditto-turned-Violet grinned with a saucy smile, flipping its hair back. "Man, you guys suck! All Arbok are weak compared to me, the great chewy-gum-girl! Bwahahaha!"</p><p>Indigo's eye twitched. Surely this was some bizarre nightmare. Was this Ditto just a bored idiot who'd taken a ridiculous interest in Violet based on their one, tiny interaction?</p><p>The fastest Arbok struck at fake-Violet's feet, who jumped into the air with far greater agility than the real thing possessed, laughing as though it were the funniest thing in the world. She landed in a crouch, melting into goo to avoid another lightning-fast strike. The Arbok swarmed, poison-coated fangs bared as enraged hissing filled the cavern, striking at where the Ditto had been as one mass.</p><p>The deadly barrage lasted little more than five seconds. Indigo's blood ran cold at their terrifying speed.</p><p>When the Arbok stopped their synchronized attack, there was no trace of the Ditto.</p><p>"<em>I ate it!</em>" one Arbok crowed proudly, flaring her brilliantly-patterned hood, before being savagely bitten by another Arbok.</p><p>"<em>You did <strong>not</strong>, Karakan! It was my tail you struck!</em>"</p><p>"<em>It is gone, Randak, surely that means it is eaten!</em>" another Arbok hissed reasonably. "<em>The fool would surely not be able to escape <strong>all</strong> of us.</em>"</p><p>"<em>It grows bolder, coming here directly. Shahararok's eldest child last saw it in the domain of the aging Rhydon King.</em>"</p><p>"<em>Tarok is a fool, entering his territory! But the King grows old, and soon our hordes will reclaim what is ours...</em>"</p><p>"<strong><em>Wait.</em></strong>"</p><p>The word shuddered through the horde, silencing them as one. And the largest Arbok Indigo had ever seen slithered from the yawning darkness. Slashing scars textured the midnight-purple scales of the beast, absent only from the vibrant blooms of color adorning his flared hood, shaped like a screaming face. Skeletal armor stretched down his spine, pointed ribs curving around his scales, a yellowed skull clasped over his head like a sick crown. The King of the Arbok's eyes gleamed crimson beneath the skull of the previous king he'd killed, his Glare sweeping over his terrified subjects.</p><p>The Arbok horde bowed their heads low, more in fear than respect. He didn't turn; every predator in the cavern moved from his path on reflex, leaving a path clear between them. Whispers hissed through the cavern; a name, repeated over and over again. "<em>Mandatharak. Mandatharak rises!</em>"</p><p>Indigo <em>heard</em> Violet's heartbeat spike at the sight. She couldn't understand what was being said. They needed to leave, <em>now</em>! He inclined his head subtly towards the far exit, and she nodded in response. Together, they inched away from the center of the horde, their hoods pulled low. The Arbok didn't notice, fixated on their leader.</p><p>Mandatharak's hood swayed hypnotically seven feet off the ground, entrancing all who saw it into terrified silence. There was still <em>plenty</em> of tail looped across the ground, wrapped in that grotesque bone armor. "<em>It lives,</em>" Mandatharak hissed in a deep, slithering rasp that shuddered through the air. "<em>It lives, and hides among us! Find the fool, and tear it to bloody meat! It hides as <strong>one of us</strong>!</em>"</p><p>"<em>Go</em>," Indigo hissed under his breath, pushing Violet towards the yawning crack in the wall forty feet away. The Arbok's hissing became eerily hollow, like whistling on a flute of bone; they tasted the air with forked tongues, swaying back and forth suspiciously as they glared at their neighbors. Until at least three sets of gleaming eyes turned towards the slightly-off smell that was Indigo and Violet… "Go!" Indigo raised his paws from beneath his Arbok-skin cloak, firing a Dark Pulse into the group. Confusion spread, along with guttural snarls of anger, and Indigo fired again, at the ceiling. Rocks broke free, raining down on the Arbok horde in a painful shower of stones.</p><p>Violet screamed. Indigo spun to see the false skin ripped from her shoulders by an Arbok's fangs, as it immobilized her instantly in its crushing coils. Cries of anticipatory victory rose among the Arbok horde, as the one who had captured her prepared a fatal blow. "No!" Indigo howled, tearing free of his own Arbok skin, aura making his voice boom louder than normal. Silver shone from his eyes, and he fired a Dark Pulse into the air in a thunder burst of sound, gathering the attention of all the Arbok at once.</p><p>"She is not the one you seek!" Indigo shouted, his voice piercing in the sudden silence as aura swirled and sparked around him. "Release her immediately!"</p><p>Mandatharak undulated through the Arbok, his gaze flickering from Indigo to Violet, tasting their scents with his slitted tongue. "<em>You smell like a human</em>," the King of the Arbok rasped eerily; the screaming face pattern on his hood swayed as he moved, and Indigo grew dizzy. His resolve faltered, and for a moment he had trouble remembering to breathe.</p><p>Mandatharak laughed chillingly, slithering slow circles around him in tightening coils. Indigo couldn't resist, fighting in vain against the paralytic hypnosis.</p><p>"<em>One of you is the fool. The other…<strong>dinner</strong>. Would you care to find out which is which?</em>" His jaw disjointed wide enough to swallow the Lucario whole, saliva hanging in strands between his serrated fangs.</p><p>The threat was enough to break him from his paralysis. Indigo tore one arm free of the binding coils, firing a one-handed Force Palm directly into Mandatharak's throat. The pressure increased rather than abating, crushing until his bones creaked. "<em>Foolish</em>," Mandatharak hissed, moving his scarred head around to meet Indigo's panicked eyes from beneath his mask of bone. He paused. "<em>But not<strong> the</strong> fool, who surely would have changed when threatened. Can there really be another so stupid as to enter <strong>here</strong>?</em>"</p><p>"Unfortunately, yes," Indigo admitted through labored breaths. "I admit…it is not the wisest life decision I have ever made. All the same…" His paw clenched into a fist, the bursting aura-flame mirroring the sudden shining in his furious eyes. His voice was steadier when he spoke next. "Touch one hair on her head, and I swear, this day will be your last."</p><p>Mandatharak laughed with his whole body, throwing back his head with mirth, and the watching Arbok joined him, chuckling with dark amusement. "<em>You?</em>" Mandatharak sneered, twisting tighter. "<em>Would destroy me? With what army do you propose to accomplish this task?</em>"</p><p>"Armies are overrated." Indigo met the Arbok's eyes as he spoke, his words ringing truth. "Anyone can kill a king, if they are in the right place at the right time. Any <em>fool.</em>"</p><p>Could he <em>give</em> a better cue?</p><p>Mandatharak shrieked with inhuman fury as the Ditto plopped on his armored head, covering his vision with pink goo. His crushing embrace loosened a fraction, and it was enough for Indigo to pull himself free, leaping to the cool stone floor in a crouch. He rolled on impact, breaking into a single-minded sprint towards Violet. The gathered Arbok weren't willing to cooperate. They struck, a hundred giant snakes in the near dark, the only light appearing to emanate from their hypnotic hoods and gleaming bloody eyes.</p><p>There wasn't time to strategize, or even to think. Indigo moved on sheer instinct, dodging and weaving between blows and striking fangs dripping with corrosive venom. His attacks lit up the dark in brief flashes of aura-light. He ducked low to avoid a blow which would have crushed his head like an egg, striking upwards with his outstretched palm to snap another Arbok's jaw shut, breaking her teeth. He leapt high, landing on someone's head, and pushed off in an arc <em>over</em> the horde.</p><p>He saw a hundred jaws open wide below him, glowing with neon-violet light. Indigo's eyes widened a fraction of an inch before the barrage of Acid Spray and Poison Sting attacks overwhelmed him in a toxic spray of liquid death.</p><p>Indigo burst from the noxious cloud of floating poison mist left behind by the attacks, laughing giddily. "Poison immunity, anyone?" he crowed, to an enraged chorus of hisses. He hit the ground again, unleashing a Dark Pulse against the nearest wall of slavering Arbok.</p><p>A pale, cold-eyed creature darted beneath the blow, coiling around Indigo's legs in a restricting embrace. The Arbok let out a collective hiss of triumph that was half snarl, leaning in with anticipation and bared incisors. Indigo flinched, his heartrate spiking as the Ekans grinned wide, small teeth poking out of her pink gums.</p><p>"<em>Hold,</em>" Mandatharak ferociously snarled, halting the Arbok's killing strike. They swayed menacingly in place, a perfect circle around him. The Ekans released his legs, slithering into the crowd, and Indigo turned warily, unwilling to expose his back to any of them. Mandatharak laughed heartily, the sound catching deep in his throat.</p><p>He jerked his head, throwing a shape into the circle with Indigo. His heart thudded. The slime was unrecognizable as a Pokémon, broken into pathetic globs which hissed and steamed from the purple venom infusing it. Even as Indigo watched, the globs quivered feebly, trying to come back together into a Ditto. Mandatharak's cruel eyes glittered. "<em>Eat it,</em>" he commanded.</p><p>Before he had finished, the Arbok struck with savage joy, gobbling up the Ditto with snapping fangs into their gullets. Indigo was frozen in place, sheer terror taking hold of him. He knew if the Arbok struck at <em>him</em> like that, he would fare little better than the odd Ditto. The fear of dying did wonders for his thought process.</p><p>The Arbok would kill him, poison immunity or not. He was surrounded. Violet had been ensnared, and stood no chance of escaping on her own.</p><p>If he didn't think of something, they were both going to be ripped to shreds.</p><p>Democracy had worked for them a few times already in Cerulean Cave. When that failed, they usually went with their backup plan, which involved a lot of running. Since that wasn't an option, Indigo's only hope was to talk their way free, or buy time until another course of action was available.</p><p>"Let us go," Indigo said, relaxing his stance, determined not to show weakness in front of the predators. <em>To do so would be death.</em> "We do not seek to harm you, or your kin. My trainer and I seek only to pass through in peace, and escape this cavern. We offer no insult. Let us pass unharmed."</p><p>Mandatharak's eyes gleamed in the darkness. "<em>You claim you offer no insult. You also claim…<strong>you do not seek to harm us</strong>?</em>" The Arbok loomed high, his intense fury unmistakable. "<em>Your words themselves are an insult! As if you, a human's pet, could ever harm one of us! In all the sections of this cursed cave, <strong>we</strong> alone are the strongest! If a mother cannot protect her eggs, we eat both them and her after each birth! Only the children able to survive life as an Ekans and evolve are welcomed into our den…and even then, only the strongest survive to adulthood! The weak become food for the strong, becoming our energy. In this way, they too can be strong, as a part of us! There are no sick, no weak, and no small Arbok in our den. <strong>If any here could lose to you, we would have eaten them long ago</strong>!</em>"</p><p>The Arbok King finished his proclamation by snapping his tail against the stone like a whip, cracking the surface, glaring at Indigo beneath his mask of aged bone with a paralytic scarlet gaze. His anger was replaced by something else; a dark humor that was as treacherous as it was poisonous, and shivers ran up Indigo's spine. He cast his eyes around the tightly-packed circle of Arbok, finding no opening or escape.</p><p>He had misjudged the pride of the King, and now they both might die for it!</p><p>Violet couldn't understand what was being said. Her breath came fast, her face grey as she read the tone of the conversation, her gaze darting between their enemies. The Arbok who'd captured her watched with a hungry gaze, saliva dripping in long strands from the tips of his curved fangs to the stone below. The coils wrapped around her body were too tight – Indigo could see her fragile skin beginning to bruise.</p><p>He pushed his anger down, letting all his pride and fury dissipate like morning mist.</p><p>He met Mandatharak's eyes evenly, and wished fear were as easy to let go of as anger. "You are correct," he admitted, cold and sick as he spoke. "I have offered you insult, and for that, I apologize. But she has done nothing wrong. Let Violet go, and I will stay in her place."</p><p>"No-!"</p><p>Violet's immediate protest was drowned out by the uproar Indigo's words sparked, as Arbok cried out in anger or agreement in a fierce cacophony. Indigo tried not to flinch, his gaze never leaving the King's. The creature of nightmare considered his request. Another slam of his tail against stone brought deafening silence over the den.</p><p>Bone scraped on stone as he slithered forward, moving slowly in a circle all around Indigo; not trapping him in coils, but rather to judge him speculatively. Indigo didn't move, ignoring the instinct to follow the Arbok with his eyes. It was a slow circuit. Mandatharak moved his head in close, his scent alone setting every fear reflex in Indigo's body on high alert. His breath smelled of freshly-spilled blood, gusting hot between long, serrated teeth.</p><p>"<em>Bow to me,</em>" Mandatharak hissed icily, deathly quiet. "<em>Apologize for your rudeness. Pay for her life in blood, and the girl will walk free.</em>"</p><p>"Do you swear?" Indigo demanded hoarsely, his heart pounding painfully fast in his chest. He knew Mandatharak could hear it.</p><p>The King of the Arbok bared his fangs in a cruel grin. The tortured face marking his hood quivered. "<em>I swear it.</em>"</p><p>Indigo fell to his knees, bowing his forehead low to the ground. "Forgive me, great one," he choked out in a voice thick with remorse which was all too easy to fake. "I am lowly compared to your strength, and spoke out of turn. I offer you my life in return for hers, so that my blood may become your strength. Great Mandatharak, King of the Arbok, accept my sincere apologies."</p><p>Indigo had learned long ago to <em>act</em> when dealing with an arrogant, bloodthirsty king! Perhaps when Violet was safe, he could find an opening to escape.</p><p>After an eternity of silence, Mandatharak spoke. "<em>Raise your head,</em>" he rasped. Indigo did so warily. He got to his feet. A sound from behind made him turn; the Arbok loosened his coiled embrace, and Violet fell to the ground, unable to stand. She whispered his name once, staring at him with agony.</p><p>Something in Indigo's chest loosened. One of them at least would walk free. He found he didn't regret having to lower his pride to such a level, if it meant he would not be responsible for yet another death.</p><p>"<em>Kill her,</em>" Mandatharak ordered chillingly, and Indigo's heart stopped.</p><p>"No, don't-!" the boy-turned-Lucario shouted, diving forward with an outstretched paw-!</p><p>She whirled towards her captor in an instinctive jerk, and the blow aimed for her pale neck struck her raised left arm instead. The twin incisors pierced through her soft human skin, through muscle and tendon, breaking out the other side of her forearm with a spray of venom and blood! Her scream was piercing and terrible, and the watching Arbok laughed cruelly. Indigo's leap was cut short by the crushing coils of an Arbok. Mandatharak laughed as well, booming.</p><p>"<em>Did you think it would be that <strong>easy</strong>?</em>" he demanded, slithering in another languid circle around Indigo's struggling form. The Arbok that bit Violet retracted his fangs, eliciting another pained cry. "<em>That I would honor a promise made to prey?</em>" He snapped his powerful tail like a whip, striking Violet hard across the ribs. She skidded across the floor, gasping between wracking coughs which spattered the floor with blood. Mandatharak loomed his head over Indigo with a savage, predatory gaze.</p><p>"<strong><em>You were wrong</em></strong><em>.</em>"</p><p>Indigo struggled uselessly around the iron coils of his captor, unable to move an inch, his eyes on Violet's prone form. She had stopped moving altogether.</p><p>It wouldn't end like this.</p><p>Indigo's eyes shone with violent silver, rage adding strength to his limbs.</p><p>
  <em>It couldn't!</em>
</p><p>As if in response to his desperate determination, the Arbok's stomach writhed as though its insides were boiling. With a surprised hiss, the creature exploded from within into gobbets of white meat. Roaring filled the cavern in a cacophony of pure sound, somehow low and shrieking all at once, as a shadow reared triumphantly from the corpse of the Arbok.</p><p>The Ditto turned Dragonite opened its mouth, and a Hyper Beam hot enough to melt bone exploded outwards in a supernova of light and sound. It swept over the surprised Arbok with shimmering golden destruction, hitting all those remotely close to Violet Hikari.</p><p>It had to have escaped death by hiding its main body inside of a single Arbok, and transformed from the <em>inside</em>. Part of Indigo's mind processed the information, but most of him simply did not care. He ran, scooping the gasping girl up in his arms as he went, and bolted straight for the exit at the end of the cavern. Turmoil reigned, as the Dragonite struck again, cracking the bone armor of Mandatharak with a crushing Iron Tail.</p><p>But their escape did not go entirely unnoticed.</p><p>A few enraged Arbok saw their flight, striking at the wounded pair with slashing fangs and deadly intent. Indigo did his best to avoid the blows, but was unable to do so entirely. An Arbok ripped into his tail with wicked fangs, tearing a bloody gouge in his flesh. Indigo nearly lost his balance, just managing to keep his feet.</p><p>They reached the end of the cavern just as the rest of the Arbok horde turned on them, hundreds of monsters straight from nightmare intent on sucking the blood from their hearts. At Mandatharak's enraged cry, they flooded in a rush of sinew and muscle after them, sliding with frightening speed over the worn-smooth stone. Indigo lost his balance as the ground trembled beneath his feet, tightening his grip around Violet just before he would have dropped her.</p><p>Dragonite had landed between them and the horde of Arbok. They rushed forward heedlessly, their bloodlust making the predators fearless of death. Indigo knew they couldn't outrun them all. And there in that dark cavern, Indigo Nightwalker resigned himself to an early death.</p><p>The Ditto melted down into a smaller shape, human sized, and Indigo wondered belatedly what it was doing. Not that it really mattered at this point. He didn't recognize the person standing before him.</p><p>The Ditto had replicated into a lean, strong man, who stood with an air of confidence and unmistakable strength. A cape flowed like water around his dark uniform, offsetting his fiery red hair.</p><p>As one, the Arbok recoiled as if struck, staring with absolute fear at the shape before them! They stopped their advance, hissing uneasily.</p><p>"Go now," the transformed Ditto said in a voice surprisingly clear and calm for its frame. "I will slow them down. For her. Not you."</p><p>Indigo nodded with surprised thanks, eyes wide. He stood before Violet could protest, running down the dark passageway as the sounds of battle broke out behind them.</p><p>"<em>You will not escape us!</em>" Mandatharak roared, his voice echoing powerfully through the tunnels. "<em>No matter how far you run, we will <strong>never</strong> forgive, or forget this! Count your remaining minutes of life, for they shall be your last!</em>"</p><p>Indigo didn't bother responding. He ran faster, Violet clutched in his arms, and prayed the Ditto would be able to buy them enough time to escape.</p><p>Somewhere above the sounds of a bitter battle, Mandatharak laughed chillingly.</p><p>The sound haunted them, seeming to chase after his very footsteps.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Clash of Monsters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I do not even own this disclaimer, not that I would ever want to. Just look at it. Honestly.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>Cerulean Cave had been a place of danger before, but now it a race against a deadly clock. Both of them had collected injuries in their desperate flight. They continued to face all the normal perils the lethal cave had to offer, but now they did so while being <em>hunted </em>by the elite predators in the Arbok den.</p><p>Indigo coughed harshly into his paw, his vision horribly skewed. His breath rasped harshly from his battered lungs. He was sure his steel ribs were dented. Violet stood carefully at the corner they'd ducked behind, listening. After a long minute, she relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief as Indigo slowly recovered, shaking from exertion.</p><p>She held out a hand, leaning down towards him. He looked at her through the eye which wasn't swollen shut, and took it, letting the slight girl help him to his feet.</p><p>They'd wandered into a Sandslash nest by mistake, and had been forced to fight while running. There had been no end to them, all spikes and wicked claws, bursting from the earth to strike at their unprotected feet.</p><p>Violet had collected a long, shallow slash in her left calf, despite Indigo carrying her when the number of attacking Sandslash had broken a hundred. Indigo had fared little better. He breathed, and focused on standing still while his trainer sprayed a warm plasma fizz onto his worst injuries. Bubbly green energy spread through his muscles, until he was able to open both eyes.</p><p>A pity healing items didn't work on proper humans.</p><p>"Did we lose them?" Violet asked in a pained whisper, her eyelids drooping. A sheen of sweat coated her snow-pale skin, beneath the dirt and blood, and her swollen arm still oozed blood from the four puncture wounds, which simply would not clot properly. Dark veins arced up her shoulder like roots, growing longer every minute.</p><p>Violet Hikari wouldn't last much longer, and Indigo knew it. They needed to get out, and they needed to do it <em>immediately</em>. He peered cautiously down the empty tunnel and allowed himself to relax a fraction. "We are alone, for now," he surmised. "It will not last long. Our enemies will follow the scent of blood. In the least we'll be able to see them coming. But we need to move."</p><p>"Could we rest for just a minute?" Violet panted, her normally vibrant eyes dull under her fringe of black hair. Indigo's heart constricted, but he hesitated.</p><p>"One minute," he agreed finally. He kept watch as she sank to the ground, ever vigilant. He could barely even sense aura anymore, his other senses hyper alert to compensate.</p><p>"Can I ask you a question?" Violet asked, in between harsh breaths. Indigo glanced at her with trepidation, but nodded his head once, curtly. She spoke. "Why is it so important to you? The story about Halladen?"</p><p>He hadn't been expecting <em>that</em>. "It is only a story, as you said," Indigo said shortly, not turning his head all the way when he responded. "I should not have overreacted earlier. It is nothing."</p><p>He couldn't tell her. Violet was just now beginning to trust him. And if she knew <em>anything</em>, anything at all about his involvement with that particular story, their new friendship would crumble like dust. It surprised him how much the thought bothered him.</p><p>Her eyes narrowed. "You're lying," Violet breathed suspiciously. "But why?"</p><p>"I am not lying," he lied firmly. "Put the matter from your mind, please. My interest in Halladen is long in the past. It has no bearing on the now."</p><p>"So you <em>did</em> care about the story, at one point?" Violet persisted. Indigo's ears jerked, and he was on his feet in a flash, pulling her along with him as an Arbok lunged from <em>underneath the ground</em>, razor-sharp fangs bared in a grin of dark victory. A Dragon Pulse exploded from his mouth, the cyclone slamming the Arbok against the tunnel walls, but she recovered in a flash, her hood's hypnotic curls of dark gold and scarlet swirling in a nauseating pattern. Indigo tore his gaze away before he could be caught under the spell, cursing his own stupidity as he ran, pulling Violet behind him!</p><p>The soft black sand of the Sandslash nest was perfect for hidden burrows. But Arbok could burrow unseen just as easily! He hadn't even<em> considered</em> it! Healing items didn't do much for an exhausted mind…and one mistake could be their last.</p><p>Triumphant calls echoed behind them as the pack caught their trail. Violet stumbled as their footing changed back to stone, and Indigo swung her into his arms without missing a stride, focusing a trickle of aura to his burning legs. Three Arbok burst from the sand, slithering with lightning speed in their wake. Indigo leapt neatly over a lunging strike aimed at his heels, crying out as another strike gouged a slash in his left arm.</p><p>He half ran up the wall at the fork, leaping off to change directions easily as the chasing Arbok slammed into the stone. Indigo felt a thrill of triumph as the gap between them widened, putting on a fresh burst of speed. Crystals flared behind him as he ran. They were fast, but he was faster!</p><p>He had no sooner completed the thought when he noticed the light beginning to dull. Black ash coated the luminous crystals. Old cracks shattered across the walls. The air changed as well, somehow electric and alive, with a tinge of explosive powder.</p><p>Broken spheres littered the edges of the blasted tunnel, rusted red and dull white, and with a horrible realization, Indigo knew <em>exactly</em> what they were running towards.</p><p>Violet saw it too. Her hands gripped his arm tighter.</p><p><em>Electrode</em>. Living bombs who exploded at the slightest provocation! And judging by the increasingly obvious damage to the walls, there were a <em>lot</em> of them.</p><p>"Don't stop, no matter what," Violet instructed with surprising calm. She rummaged through the bag, appraising items with quick eyes. Their slope changed to a slight incline, and Indigo gritted his teeth as he ran from the bloodthirsty Arbok, because really, did he have a choice?</p><p>The incline ended with a looming black archway, lit barely by shattered, feeble crystals coated in oily ash. The electricity tingled against his fur, static sparking around the metal spikes in his paws.</p><p>Indigo gritted his teeth, and jumped into darkness with all his strength.</p><p>They hung in the air for a long moment, suspended above the gloomy basin. The Electrode below gave off a faint, electric-blue glow - asleep, or in the least dormant…not that it mattered. The slightest touch would set them off, starting a chain reaction which would end in their deaths.</p><p>He hadn't been able to aim his jump. Indigo fell with screaming nerves, calculating where they were going to land, and then-!</p><p>He landed in a powerful crouch between two shining Electrode, faint with relief as he leapt towards the opposite ledge in a single bound. But the Arbok slipped like water between the living bombs, their eyes fever bright with the growing excitement of a predator gaining on their prey!</p><p>Indigo made his landing on the opposite ledge despite the fire searing down his legs. Violet twisted, throwing the half-dead battery behind them in a long arc.</p><p>It sparked in the air with blue lightning, reacting with the latent electricity infusing the very air.</p><p>And the darkness <em>exploded</em> with burning white light.</p><p>A thunderous explosion punched Indigo's Protect the same instant it formed, blasting the sphere like a cannon through the tunnels in a gout of searing, all-encompassing energy. Indigo screamed in defiance and fear, every fiber of his being focused on holding the bubble against the pounding force! Violet screamed along with him, her hands clamped over her ears. His shield smashed a stalactite into rubble, sending a stab of agony through Indigo's brain, but he had to hold on just a second longer, or-!</p><p>They shot from the tunnel like a cannonball, careening into the largest cavern they'd yet seen, as Indigo's Protect dissolved into shining dust, and Violet slipped out of his arms.</p><p>He hurtled light blind through the air, disoriented, the roaring in his ears blocking out all sound, <em>burning</em> in the explosion's edge. The spikes in his fists and heart glowed red hot, and Indigo could not <em>think</em> for the pain! Until at once, he struck the river. The blessedly cool waters sapped the burning from his steel bones, and he could think again.</p><p>He opened his eyes underwater, blinking the spots from his vision furiously as he looked for Violet. Rocks and debris showered the water, casting long bubble trails from the surface. A sinewy shape sliced beneath the surface, and Indigo jerked as he saw the dark profile of an Arbok.</p><p>The shape turned - only half of the Arbok's head was intact, staring sightlessly in the water. The blackened half of the skull was seared to the bone, the entire body nothing but a burned spine held together by strips of cooked meat.</p><p>Indigo recoiled with nauseous disgust, searching for Violet with growing alarm. <em>He</em> had landed in the water, but if she hadn't been so lucky…if that frail human girl had hit <em>stone</em>…!</p><p>He saw her limp profile in the water, then. Relief rocked through him. She hung motionlessly in the river, her dark hair fanned out in a veil over her face. Indigo ignored the urge to breathe, striking out a pace to reach her side. Trails of blood smoked from his wounds, vanishing into the waters.</p><p>He never saw the shape spiraling from the depths, jaws gaping wide…</p><p>…until another chunk of Arbok blasted into the water between him and his trainer, and was caught up immediately in the jaws of the largest carnivore Indigo had ever seen. He didn't register a species at first, seeing only a monstrous shadow looming from the deeps. Even then, his mind was struck dumb, trying to piece the evidence of his eyes into reality, because surely a Gyarados couldn't get so <em>big</em>!</p><p>War-shield scales armored the sea serpent in dark sapphire, each one larger than Indigo himself. Craggy ridges jutted from an endless spine, trailing tendrils of moss. A jagged crest adorned the heavy skull of the behemoth like a crown, his jaws gaping wide enough to swallow another Gyarados whole. The monster must have lived hundreds of years to reach such a size.</p><p>A wall of surging water knocked Indigo back in the water. The monster tore into the Arbok's corpse savagely, taking no notice of him, striking at another dead Arbok with such brutality the thing wouldn't have survived if it had been alive before hitting the water. The ancient Gyarados peered through the depths with perfectly flat eyes like twin moons, reflecting orange in the light.</p><p>And fixed his gaze on Violet's unconscious form.</p><p>
  <em>NO!</em>
</p><p>Indigo grabbed a ridged scale by sheer reflex as the thing turned, slamming his glowing palm against the slick steel over and over. Force tremored through his bones with each desperate blow, aura light flashing through the waters.</p><p>The Lord of the Deep didn't notice. With a disdainful flick of his tail, Indigo's grip tore free, the ridge slashing his palm wide open – before he could react, the creature's fanned tailfin slammed against him like a pounding wave, shooting him free of the water entirely.</p><p>Indigo hit the stone wall with a wet '<em>thwack</em>', sliding to the ground limply as his consciousness faded in and out, and the water boiled with froth.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Violet didn't remember hitting the water. Her memories blacked out from the moment Indigo's Protect had burst until right then, what could have been seconds or years later. A dull whine rang around her darkened mind like emergency sirens.</p><p>Thoughts connected lethargically. There had been danger, but such worries seemed far away. What could be more important than lying still and recuperating?</p><p>Her lungs gave her a rather pointed answer. Violet's eyes snapped open as her fingers twitched.</p><p>She was <em>underwater</em>!</p><p>Panic set in, and she righted herself, wobbly bubbles escaping her lips. The ringing became an unbroken keen as she searched for the surface, turning just in time to see the gaping jaws of a world-eater Gyarados.</p><p>Terror seared away all rationality in a burning sea – it was all she could do not to scream her air away! She kicked away reflexively, knowing it was hopeless even before the Gyarados ate her whole.</p><p>Darkness reigned supreme in the Gyarados's cavernous throat. Water currents battered Violet against slick muscled walls, as she held herself in a fetal position, trying not to breathe the blood-soaked water. Fire scorched her lungs, matching the electric terror blinding her thoughts. <em>She couldn't die here</em>!</p><p>Her mind snapped into clarity around that thought. But what could she realistically <em>do</em>? Her crystal-sharp thoughts flashed through her memories for an answer, finding none.</p><p>The warm currents shifted as the Gyarados swallowed, and a flash of inspiration struck. She tore frantically at the clasp of her bag, reality fraying at the edges of her consciousness. Her numb fingers closed around a cold metal sphere. Light flashed.</p><p>And the Gyarados vanished from around her. Cool waters brushed against her skin, swaying through her dark hair.</p><p>The ultra ball in her hands shook violently, and Violet dropped it like a burning brand. It wouldn't hold the beast long! She couldn't see. She wasn't sure where the surface was, but she kicked her legs anyways, blindly struggling for the faint promise of air.</p><p>A sunburst exploded behind her. The water itself vibrated with the Gyarados' furious roar from his temporary imprisonment, somehow low and high at the same time. No doubt fixated on <em>her</em>.</p><p>She reached for the too-distant surface, her strength draining at once. She sighed, almost relieved, the last silvery bubbles of her air rising towards the light.</p><p>Violet Hikari had tried her best. Just one breath away from survival. The Gyarados fixed a flat gaze on her once again, and she closed her eyes, resigning herself to the end.</p><p>She didn't even notice the small burst of light from her pocket.</p><p>The keening roar cut off all at once. The Gyarados hung still, listening intently to the little Magikarp guarding his prey. No one could understand the nameless bond between evolutions, albeit from very different upbringings, or the communication that passed between them. And while the small were often food, sheer bravery made the Gyarados stop, and <em>listen</em>.</p><p>After a long moment, the behemoth bowed his head, touching foreheads with the brave Magikarp facing death to rescue his trainer.</p><p>With a flick of his fins, the Gyarados was gone, spiraling back into the endless dark of Cerulean River. Mr. Fin bumped Violet's limp body towards the surface, his little fins swishing madly, determination gracing his round eyes. She didn't react when they broke the surface, and her starter pushed her towards the shore, between the flaming debris from the explosion.</p><p>Indigo knelt at the side of the river, hunched over with grief. Dawn broke over his face when he saw them. He pulled Violet from the water, pounding the water from her lungs until she coughed and spluttered, breathing in through her raw throat as if she'd never expected to do so again. Mr. Fin wiggled happily in the water.</p><p>Indigo stroked Violet's back while she remembered how to inhale properly, wordless relief burning in his gaze.</p><p>"Thank you," he growled, voice rough with tears. "<em>Thank you.</em>"</p><p>"Karp karp," Mr. Fin responded wisely, and disappeared back into the master ball in Violet's pocket.</p><p>"I-Indigo-" the girl gasped, breaking off to cough violently, water streaming from her mouth and nose. She drew in a shuddering breath, resisting the urge to sob. Her hair clung to the sides of her pale face, soaked and chilled to the bone. She shuddered from head to toe, while her Lucario rubbed circles on her back without judgement.</p><p>"Do not speak," he ordered in response to her broken sentence. "There is nothing so urgent that you should focus on anything other than being okay."</p><p>It was good advice. Violet shut up, breathing past the taste of rust and the burning in her throat. Tears mixed with the water dripping off her hair. She brushed them away hurriedly. To her immense gratitude, Indigo pretended not to notice, taking a sudden interest in the wall.</p><p>Other concerns called for her attention. She hadn't noticed until she'd accomplished more important things, like not drowning, that she was in a considerable amount of pain. The strap of her bag had twisted sharply around her wounded shoulder, somehow managing to survive the struggle. She reached up and groped at it with numb fingers to relieve the pressure, before Indigo took over, freeing the twisted knot with a few deft tugs. It fell to the ground, river water seeping from the seams of the battered fabric, and Violet sighed with relief.</p><p>A wave of horrible tiredness nearly bowled her over. Violet put her head between her knees, her vision going entirely black for several heartbeats, before the dark receded like the tide.</p><p>Nearly out of time, then.</p><p>She couldn't keep her secret any longer.</p><p>"There's something you need to know," Violet said, without looking up. "I haven't been…completely honest with you."</p><p>"To be fair, neither have I," the Lucario admitted after a long beat, without a trace of seriousness. "Is this the part where we confess our mistakes because we're probably going to die? Let me go first - I'm a time traveler with a terrible past."</p><p>Violet laughed shakily, caught off guard by his dry humor. "Is that right?" She chuckled wearily. "Mine isn't that good. I'm just a coward. I tried…to be a hero once…I tried, but I…"</p><p>The words caught in her throat, and Violet couldn't speak through her sudden grief. "That wasn't what I was going to tell you," she admitted, changing the subject. She rolled what was left of her sleeve up, revealing the Arbok's bite completely.</p><p>Indigo couldn't look away from the wound, sickness in his eyes. "I know more about this than I've let on," Violet admitted. "Arbok venom debilitates prey, weakening it for the hunt ahead. Eventually, it's lethal. There are markers when death gets close. I've been keeping track of them. Tiredness, muscle aches, blurred vision… and I know what comes next."</p><p>Violet let out a sad, tired smile. "I'm going to fall asleep, and I won't wake up again. If that happens, you'll have to leave me behind to have any chance of getting out."</p><p>"We're getting out together. Which means we need to get moving, before that can happen," Indigo replied grimly, accepting her assessment without question. He slung the waterlogged pack over his shoulders, holding out a hand for Violet. She took it numbly, and the Lucario pulled her to her feet. She stumbled immediately, her ankle giving out.</p><p>When had she hurt her leg? She honestly couldn't remember. Indigo caught her under her shoulder like a crutch. She yawned over her thank you.</p><p>"Have you gotten fatter?" Indigo asked innocently. Violet's eyes flew open with indignation.</p><p>"I have not!" she protested, her tiredness receding. Indigo had the gall to laugh, albeit quietly. Her eyes narrowed. "Trying to keep me awake is fine, but there is a line!" she insisted.</p><p>"You may need to lay off the donuts for a time," Indigo replied in mock seriousness, and Violet blanched with horror. She found herself smiling at the banter.</p><p>"I donut think so," she retorted, grinning at the disgust on Indigo's face.</p><p>"If I'd known you liked puns before I agreed to travel with you, I would have run screaming," her Lucario informed her dryly. "I suppose I'm stuck with you now." She heard a drawn-out sigh, and resisted the urge to smack him.</p><p>It felt good, making jokes. But all at once, she felt like crying. Indigo shot a questioning look at her silence.</p><p>"I'm just not used to this," she admitted. "I haven't had anyone to make jokes with in a long time."</p><p>After a long moment, he admitted, "You are not the only one."</p><p>Both of them stiffened as hollow cries echoed from the distant tunnels, growing louder. They exchanged a glance.</p><p>More Arbok were coming. Only the fastest had been caught by the blast.</p><p>It wasn't over yet.</p><p>The first of the deadly Arbok slid from the smoke of the Electrode den, and witnessed the broken remains of their kin splattered across the floor in globs of smoking gore. A howling shriek followed them, taken up by the remainder of the predators in a bone-chilling chorus of murderous intent. They swam in the wide river as easily as they whispered over stone, their hooded heads held high over the dark water, fixated with hypnotic intensity on their prey.</p><p>The fastest Arbok neared the edge of the river, fangs bared wide with a hiss of anticipation, and then-</p><p>…disappeared, pulled beneath the waves in a surge of pink foam.</p><p>It was enough to give the other Arbok pause. And then another let out a gurgling shriek, snapped off partway.</p><p>Gyarados breached the water with a whistling roar, looming thirty feet above the surface. He struck at the nearest Arbok with imagination-defying speed, snapping the creature out of the water. The Arbok's head and tail fell away, twitching spastically as he tried to bite even in death.</p><p>The remaining Arbok latched onto the armored scales of the Gyarados, their venomous fangs glowing lurid violet as the beast writhed and thrashed like a tempest incarnate. Thunderclouds boiled below the obsidian ceiling, as the river crashed white around the warring serpents. The Gyarados's war shriek boomed, knocking great boulders from the cracking roof, plumes of water bursting from each violent impact. The waters ran dark with poison and blood.</p><p>It was power and violence personified in a wild dance. Violet did not care. She limped through the upwards slanting tunnel with Indigo's support, leaving the resounding battle behind. Their progress was slow, but it was there. Clear air from the cracked ceiling wafted through the gloomy mustiness, igniting her imagination with images of dancing leaves and sunshine. Her heart raced – they could <em>do</em> this!</p><p>The nearest glowing crystals exploded, guttering out at once.</p><p>She didn't even have time to gasp before Indigo was ripped from her side with a startled yelp. Flashes of aura fire flared, revealing little of the attacking shadows.</p><p>And then darkness.</p><p>Soft hissing oozed from the tunnel behind her, along with the slithering rasp of scales on stone. Violet's heart thudded erratically. "<em>Indigo,</em>" she gasped, her legs yanked out beneath her mid-word.</p><p>She screamed as the <em>thing</em> dragged her up the tunnel, trying to shield her head from the stony ground while kicking futilely at the iron strength of her attacker. Her flailing foot hit soft fur, eliciting an enraged shriek that was decidedly <em>not </em>an Arbok. She <em>knew </em>that sound…</p><p>They threw her. Burning leathery mittens clamped over her mouth, muffling her shout as she was caught by another creature's thick arms. They hurtled through the tunnel blindly. They were fast, whatever they were, with a musky stink, and snorting, snuffling breaths. They chattered in short-syllabled gibberish, seeming to argue as they ran, never missing a step in the pitch darkness.</p><p>Violet knew what they were. She squeezed her eyes shut with a whimper, fear rocking through her tired body.</p><p>It didn't take long to reach her kidnapper's den. The smell hit her like a wall, the cloying stench almost a physical attack. Sounds echoed strangely in the vast space, bouncing chatters and screeches from wall to wall.</p><p>Without warning, she was tossed airborne. Violet screamed, falling towards the ground without knowing where the ground <em>was</em> when something caught her ankle. Her momentum reversed, she flew again and was caught, and dangled upside down from one foot before being dropped into soft earth. Her hands left indents in the spongy dirt as she groaned, rising to her hands and knees.</p><p>Another body thudded to her right. Violet groped forward blindly until her hands touched metal, tracing a spike. "Indigo!" she whispered, shaking his shoulder.</p><p>No response. Her heart stopped, until she realized his shoulder rose and fell; he was breathing, at least.</p><p>The chattering in the cavern stopped with frightening synchronization, like someone had hit pause on reality.</p><p>The unmistakable hiss of a murderous Arbok lanced through the silence, which turned to screams of <em>anger</em>. A shudder quaked up her spine at the sound, adrenaline sharpening her senses. Violet fumbled for the backpack on Indigo's shoulder, searching inside by feel. Her fingers touched a warm, diamond seed, and she yanked it out with a thrill of success.</p><p>Pokémon screeched in the dark, a cacophony which only served to steady her shaking hands. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the darkness.</p><p>She cracked the seed with her thumb like Daniel had taught her, spilling shimmering green energy between Indigo's fangs. Her battered partner jolted up groggily, half ready to fight despite his confusion.</p><p>"<em>Shhh,</em>" Violet hissed, cutting off his <em>loud</em> question. Her Lucario shut up, calming slightly at the sight of her. She was already hunting for another item, spraying an expired full restore liberally over his fur, the balmy tang of rain and eucalyptus filling the humid air.</p><p>She had two full restores remaining, a max elixir, and one ultra ball, along with many other miscellaneous items that wouldn't do her much good in battle.</p><p>Whatever was coming, they had to be ready for it. She sprayed the last max elixir on Indigo as well. This could be their final stand.</p><p>The arguing creatures quieted. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes as light flared high above.</p><p>Fiery meteors trailing golden-red embers rocketed through the dark, lighting primeval torches looming over the rim of their hole. Shadows circled the prison pit, low-bodied creatures glaring with fierce eyes in the shifting glow. One drew back a muscled arm encircled with dull iron bands, fire bursting from his powerful punch to light the final oilcloth torch.</p><p>Somewhere, heavy drums boomed in a slow heartbeat. The chattering speech reached a crescendo.</p><p>And Mandatharak himself reared over the edge of the pit, grinning with barely controlled anticipation beneath his visor of ancient bone. A bloodied slash broke the screaming markings of his hood, glistening water streaming over his scales.</p><p>But the water couldn't hide the fresh crimson dripping from his serrated fangs, or his satisfaction. He practically glowed with it. Violet's blood ran cold. He couldn't have <em>defeated</em> that Gyarados, but to even injure him enough to escape-!</p><p>She had underestimated the strength of the King of the Arbok.</p><p>A guttural Primeape addressed the horde, while Indigo translated. "They are bargaining with the Arbok for our lives. They claim we are honorably captured, and Mandatharak no longer has any claim over us. It seems the Primeape wish to have a human…ambassador of sorts, to get them special privileges from the outside world. They've waited a long time for such a human to appear."</p><p>Mandatharak waited for the Primeape's rant to end, his hissing words dripping with dark suggestion.</p><p>"And him?" Violet asked, afraid to ask.</p><p>"Mandatharak wants to eat us," Indigo confirmed grimly. "He offers free passage in the lower tunnels in exchange for us…and any reports of the Ditto. I suppose the tricky thing survived again."</p><p>"He won't hold up his end of the bargain!" Violet whispered urgently, remembering Indigo's description of the Arbok King's betrayal. "He <em>won't</em>, they can't listen to him!"</p><p>"There isn't much we can do, Violet," Indigo said grimly, his voice hushed. "Except await their judgement on our fate. If we argue, we could set off the Primeape's anger, and turn them against us."</p><p>Violet stood up immediately, breathing in deep. "I-I object!" she shouted. Her voice cracked, and her throat was raw, but she caught their attention.</p><p>Silence fell at her outburst. "What are you <em>doing?</em>" Indigo hissed. Violet ignored him. She gathered her courage, standing tall, albeit with all her weight on one foot.</p><p>"The King of the Arbok does not honor his word!" Violet's voice rang clear. "He will take what is offered, and do whatever he pleases afterwards! Do not listen to the lies of a…an overgrown purple noodle!"</p><p>The Primeape let out full-bellied laughs, and the small group of Arbok tensed with cold hate.</p><p>She really hoped this worked.</p><p>
  <em>"Any luck with the Mankey training?" </em>
</p><p>Violet groaned with sheer frustration as Daniel plopped down beside her. She was covered in what she sincerely hoped was just dirt, and bruised from head to toe. He peeled a nanab berry skin from her hair, tossing it to the ground.</p><p>"I just don't know what to <em>do</em>!" she complained, burying her face in her arms. "Nothing makes them happy! Nothing! I gave them fresh water after they refused to train, and they dumped it on my head. Then they got mad I was soaking wet, and threw fruit at me, and <em>then</em> they were furious I had 'stolen' their fruit, even though I bought it for them in the first place! They <em>hate </em>me!"</p><p>"The Mankey don't hate you, Vie," Daniel soothed, tossing her a clean rag. "They hate <em>everything</em>. Which is completely different."</p><p>"I don't appreciate the distinction," twelve-year-old Violet muttered, glaring evilly at the glob of fruit that had somehow gotten inside her tennis shoes and squished between her toes.</p><p>"What I mean is, they're gonna be furious no matter what you do. Trying to appease them is no good, you'll just give yourself a headache and some bruises. Use their anger. Channel it towards what you want them to do. If they hate training, make them hate <em>losing</em> even more. If they get mad over being given the wrong fruit, tell them their opponent <em>chose</em> the fruit on purpose, knowing it tastes bad. Redirect that furious energy, and nothing in this world will be able to stand in its path."</p><p>Violet thought about it. "And if they hurl mud at my hair?"</p><p>"Get used to the extra showers," Daniel suggested, tapping his temple. "And keep your mouth closed. Trust me on that one. Experience."</p><p>The memory faded like mist. Violet stood tall in the torch-lined pit, soaking wet in blue pajamas, her striking eyes the only fierce thing about her. "My name is Violet Hikari, and I can speak to the other humans on your behalf. My Lucario will translate between our languages. We can help! More than the lying King of the Arbok can, anyways!"</p><p>The Primeape screamed at her proclamation, incensed beyond words. They leapt up and down, arguing amongst themselves using their fists and feet. One Primeape's nose broke messily under a hurtling punch, and another kicked a Mankey all the way across the prison pit. None of the Primeape seemed to find this unusual. Violet let out a strangled squeak, her eyes huge at the sudden burst of super violence.</p><p>Indigo's eyes darted between arguments, his ears flickering at each sound. "They are furious you dared to open your mouth, and that you are wearing the color blue. They also want your eyes to be smaller, since they are too large, and think pink hair is better than black." He stopped, listening intently to the chatter. "Some of them agree with you about Mandatharak. Some of them want to throw…er, <em>dirt</em> at us, but more want to test your claims." He paused. "Also there's a lot of amusement over that noodle comment, which actually seems to be <em>helping</em>…"</p><p>"As long as they're more furious with the Arbok than us, we're good to go!" Violet whispered triumphantly. "Primeape and Arbok are about as different as species can get, but they have one thing in common. Once they set their eyes on a victim, they'll never stop trying to destroy them. We need to turn them against each <em>other</em>. Mandatharak's not an idiot. He knows the Primeape are strong enough to put up a fight, or he'd never bargain in the first place. Which means…"</p><p>"If the Primeape attack, they might win. The Arbok hunters are seriously outnumbered, and their ranks have dwindled," Indigo realized. "If the Primeape agree we're worth protecting, they might just save us from being eaten alive."</p><p>Mandatharak hissed in an oily whisper, silencing the Primeape with barely any effort. They listened, while Indigo translated for her sake. "<em>The human girl is weak and dying, already injected with our venom. She will soon perish, leaving you with no representative. Surely it is better to have my favor than the use of a tool who will soon be dead?</em>"</p><p>Violet tried to speak, but the cacophony of simian jabbering drowned her out. The Primeape fought and argued violently, more and more gesturing furiously at <em>her</em>.</p><p>A surge of fatigue hit her hard, and Violet swayed, nearly falling over. Her heartbeat thudded in her head, matching the painful pulse of her swollen arm. Indigo caught her, his concerned questions blurring together as if he were speaking underwater.</p><p>The Primeape screamed in a chorus of fury as Violet blinked groggily, trying to focus through the haze. Indigo was shouting something, refuting a statement with increasing urgency.</p><p>"-she's <em>tired</em>, and needs help! We can still speak with the humans on your behalf, but she needs to see a doctor first-!"</p><p>The drums beat louder, pounding mercilessly against her senses, and a 'crack' of wood thundered throughout the cavern. A Primeape on a stone pedestal wielded a staff twice his height, commanding utter silence. He lifted the staff with a cry, which was taken up by the others in a wild chorus.</p><p>"Indigo?" Violet breathed, struggling to focus. "What's...?"</p><p>"They say we are to stand trial before their 'Shihan', to decide our fate. I think they mean their leader, but the terminology is unclear. We must convince them, Violet, or they will hand us over to Mandatharak without hesitation-!"</p><p>The Primeape surged down the sheer walls of the prison pit, finding footholds as easily on a vertical surface as a horizontal one. Indigo shot to protect her, but there were too many – the Primeape slung them over their shoulders with ease, tearing them apart.</p><p>Nausea coiled over her as the Primeape tossed her along unceremoniously, protecting her burning arm from the slightest touch with her whole body. The horde jostled and surged forward, chanting and jeering, until finally she was thrown to the ground. She sat shakily, her new scrapes stinging.</p><p>Furious snarling caught her attention; Indigo struggled against the five Primeape transporting him, one for each limb and his head. Some of his captors sported scuffs and bite marks. They shoved him roughly into a sitting position, and he turned with a rebellious silver gleam in his eyes…</p><p>A brawny Primeape with shaggy fur and melon-sized fists threw a punch towards Indigo's head, stopping the steel-crushing blow half an inch from his nose. The wind blew his fur flat against his skull, and Indigo froze instantly. The Primeape crossed his bulky arms, and Indigo sat meekly by her side, all thoughts of battling their way out apparently banished.</p><p>The Primeape tribe screeched and jumped up and down, beating their chests; some hung from thick roots by a single hand or foot, baby Mankey clinging to their thick fur. Woven vine nests hung near a strange tubular fruit she had no name for, brilliant blue with dappled pink spots.</p><p>A physical shock rocked through her – they sat on an official regulation battlefield, marked off with crystal veins, in front of a grand staircase hewn from black stone. A single cave lay at the top, gleaming with a spotless splendor.</p><p>Who would train <em>here</em>?</p><p>The back of her neck prickled. Violet didn't have to turn to know Mandatharak was on the other end of the battlefield, staring hungrily at their unprotected spines.</p><p>"Please tell me you have a plan," Indigo asked, sensing it as well. "Mandatharak makes good points. The Primeape might see the rationality in his demands."</p><p>"That's it!" Violet exclaimed in a hush. "Indigo, don't you see? Primeape are only smart when they <em>aren't</em> angry. Their IQ drops by half when they feel a surge of overwhelming rage. And I bet the Shihan is the angriest Primeape of them all!"</p><p>"If we make their leader angry, he will stop listening to reason and do essentially whatever he wants," Indigo summarized, thinking over the plan. "And what if he <em>wants</em> to turn us into custom punching bags?"</p><p>"I never said it was a <em>perfect</em> plan," Violet responded defensively.</p><p>Three fireballs exploded in the air. The Primeape roared, beating out a pounding rhythm on heavy leather drums decorated with colored rocks, tassels, and broken gym badges. Three Primeape approached the stairs, bowing low as they spoke in a guttural tongue.</p><p>"They are explaining," Indigo translated in a low tone. "And asking for his wise council. It is a choice, between Mandatharak's threats, and a delegate to bargain with the Shadow of Dragons…whoever that is."</p><p>Mandatharak spoke in an accented rasp, appealing to the brutal leader of the Primeape. "Mandatharak promises peace, and passage through Arbok territory. He claims there is nothing we can offer of value, and that you will soon die without help." His voice cracked on the word.</p><p>"I'm not sure what we <em>can</em> offer," Violet admitted in the midst of a huge yawn. "What could the Primeape want from the outside? And can it really rival the lives of their tribe members? Not that Mandatharak is likely to honor his word…"</p><p>"We don't need the more rational argument, so long as we turn the Shihan's anger towards them instead of us," Indigo reminded her, his scarlet eyes scanning the increasingly bad-tempered brutes. "Say something that will anger him, even if it doesn't make sense. His intelligence depends on his mental state, right?"</p><p>Heated arguments silenced abruptly as the Shihan of the Primeape moved into the light. The pounding drums were the only sound, like a massive echoing heartbeat.</p><p>Violet and Indigo stared.</p><p>The shockingly well-groomed Primeape sported elegantly brushed fur, complete with a twirled moustache beneath his pink snout. A velvet top hat perched on his head, matching the immaculate shirt cuffs covering his iron wristbands, with a black bowtie pinned to his fur. He tapped his shining cane sagely against the stone, light gleaming off what appeared to be an actual monocle over one eye.</p><p>"He has introduced himself as Sējizaru," Indigo choked out, completely blindsided as the bow-tie clad Primeape gesticulated pompously. "Shihan of the Saru Dojo, conqueror of the Weepinbell, and…apparently he ate forty bunches of fruit once, which hardly seems relevant…he wants to hear from you directly, Violet. He's using vocabulary beyond what I know, so I'm guessing based on context…showoff," he finished in a mutter.</p><p>Sējizaru turned to Violet expectantly, leaning against his white-tipped cane. She stood shakily, dark-red unconsciousness edging on her vision. "My name is Violet. You… uh, you have a nice cave?" Would their plan still work on <em>this</em> Primeape?</p><p>"<em>Violet</em>, focus!" Indigo hissed with alarm, and she gathered herself, digging her fingernails into her palm until the pain sharpened her mind.</p><p>"But this cave could be better! You need things, from the outside world, like…like decorative tapestries, and cool statues! As a human, I can get these things from the outside, and send them in. Mandatharak wants his cave to be prettier than yours, and that's why he wants us dead!" Not exactly a brilliant excuse, but she'd once made a Primeape rampage by claiming the clearly visible sun had turned purple.</p><p>Sējizaru listened to her story attentively, nodding twice. He spoke again, as Indigo translated, trying harder to match his vocabulary.</p><p>"It is true our dwelling lacks a certain degree of sophistication, which is a lamentable occurrence; however, your inference that the Arbok King seeks to inflict lethal harm upon you in order to prevent this cavern from becoming more glamorous than his own is utter nonsense, since he was attempting to kill you before we ever met! In fact, this makes me wonder if a delegate as obviously lacking in mental abilities such as yourself would in fact be of any value, or if you would only be a detriment to our cause. What say you in response?"</p><p>"Um," Violet stammered, abandoning their plan and switching tracks. "I-I can speak to the other humans on your behalf, and obtain items, and other things…I-I heard that was something you wanted?" she finished rather lamely.</p><p>Indigo spoke again, mirroring the words of the dapper Primeape. "Indeed, indeed it is, young Mukyu! However, what we desire is not tapestries, or statues, but something of far greater value. We seek a legendary item <em>worshipped</em> by humankind, that phenomenal delicacy known far and wide with a whisper of reverence. Long have our kind desired it, after hearing tales from one of our brothers who was deigned to taste it, as a gift from the Shidoshi known as Bruno! It is perfection itself, eaten cold <em>or</em> hot, and can be eaten easily with our hands! <em>That</em>, young Mukyu, is the gift we seek! I believe the Shidoshi referred to it as 'Peetzah'."</p><p>Indigo looked more and more confused the longer Sējizaru spoke, and when he finished translating, Violet turned to him to explain. "Pizza is delicious, but not super good for you. People do <em>not</em> worship it…much. Maybe sometimes." She stopped. "You okay?"</p><p>"I am fine," Indigo replied automatically. "I'm mildly concerned with the blatant deifying of junk food in this region, however. If you brought donuts, you could start a cult."</p><p>"Pizza!" Sējizaru exclaimed, gesturing high towards an unseen beacon of godliness, utter devotion on his pig-nosed face. "It is perfection itself! But no matter how hard we try, we are unable to create this delicacy using local materials! Only a human can craft it, and only a human can bring it to us! We need powerful delegates, for surely something so transcendent can only be acquired via an epic quest! That, young Mukyu, is what we ask of you today!"</p><p>The Primeape howled their wild agreement. The great drums boomed, loud enough the air thrummed with a physical vibration. Now that she was paying attention, she noticed the engravings in the black staircase appeared to be slices of pepperoni pizza. Primeape backflipped in excitement; some danced around smoldering fire pits, chanting what Violet suspected was 'all hail the pizza' in their own language.</p><p>All this, because Bruno of the Elite Four had apparently given a Primeape a slice of cold pizza who knew how long ago.</p><p>"I-I can do that!" Violet shouted with wide eyes, shooting her hand in the air as volunteer. "Pizza, no problem!" Could it really be so easy? Sējizaru gestured with his cane, silencing the Primeape, leaning forward with breathless anticipation to better hear her.</p><p>Violet struck a pose, grinning cheekily. "That request is a 'pizza' cake! When it comes to getting pizza, my skill can't be 'topped'! Just leave it to me!"</p><p>Indigo groaned as the Primeape broke into even more raucous cheering, hurling Fire Punch bursts into the air like a 21-gun salute until it rained flaming confetti.</p><p>A convulsed detonation shook the ceiling, and careless Primeape fell from their vines with cries of alarm. Mandatharak closed his gaping jaws, globs of vivid poison dripping from the Gunk Shot he'd fired at the roof, hissing as they ate neat holes straight through the solid bedrock. Poison fog steamed from the holes, wreathing the bone-plated King of the Arbok in gleaming toxic mist. He laughed chillingly, the dissonant sound cutting through the uproar with ease.</p><p>One of the nine Arbok at his tail slithered forward, a screaming baby Mankey trapped in the disjointed vice-like cage of her fangs. Mandatharak's blood-red eyes glittered menacingly. "<em>I propose a counter offer. Give us the girl, and her freakish pet, or it will mean war between our kinds from here until eternity. That is all.</em>"</p><p>Indigo finished his translation grimly as the gathered Primeape howled with undisguised hatred, held back only by the cries of the captive baby. The tension in the cave was nearly tangible, as though the smallest move would set everything off into sudden, horrible violence.</p><p>Mandatharak didn't seem to care. He swayed across the stone, his hypnotic hood pulsing with illusion as he hissed out dark promises. "<em>Come now, Sējizaru. Have I not always been a friend to you? Did we not fight together against the Kadabra scourge that threatened to destroy us both? I am your ally…your comrade even. Would you risk crossing me, one who has <strong>never</strong> done you harm, in exchange for human filth? See reason…I implore you…</em>"</p><p>The tortured scream of his hood undulated, strange illusory colors oozing from the edges, and Violet's thoughts faltered until 'danger' was a faint memory. Somewhere, her sanity was screaming a warning at her, beating at the confines of her mind.</p><p>"He lies!" Indigo shouted, breaking her reverie and shocking everyone who had been hanging onto Mandatharak's every poisonous word. "Listen to sweet promises if you desire…but never forget they issue from bloodstained jaws, while a captive child screams at his back! He will turn on you, the moment your head is faced away!"</p><p>Sējizaru rapped his cane sharply against the stone, issuing a question towards the Arbok King, who seemed taken aback. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he issued a curt command to his follower, who reluctantly opened her jaws, spilling the baby Mankey onto the ground unharmed. He dove for freedom, shielded by a wall of Primeape.</p><p>Time held its breath as Mandatharak awaited Sējizaru's judgement. Violet's heart caught in her throat, her hands balled up tight.</p><p>Sējizaru shrugged.</p><p>"The King offer us no harm. It is as he says. Reasonably speaking, he has never offered insult, or attacked outside his own territory. Even now, he has released the child, and speaks with rationality, and should therefore be listened to. If he ever <em>does </em>attack, as the Iron-Shodan warrior claims, we will destroy him utterly and without hesitation. Though it is terribly depressing, I'm afraid the grand pizza quest will have to wait until the next humans enter our cavern…"</p><p>Sējizaru turned away as he spoke, and Mandatharak cried with dark triumph, leaping for Violet's throat with fevered eyes and slavering jaws.</p><p>Indigo stepped forward, pivoting on one foot to stand in front of her, as Violet stepped back, reaching into the pack. Her Lucario fired a doublehanded Force Palm into Mandatharak's scaled throat as Violet turned, pitching an ultra ball at the back of Sējizaru's furry head.</p><p>Mandatharak skidded backwards as Sējizaru disappeared into golden light. The Arbok righted himself instantly, saliva hanging in red strands between his disjointed jaws. The ultra ball didn't even shake once, immediately releasing the Shihan of the Primeape.</p><p>The suddenly, irrationally <em>furious</em> Shihan of the Primeape. The veins on his arms bulged as inhuman outrage flared like an inferno in his enraged eyes, power busting from his shaggy body until his polished monocle cracked.</p><p>"Great plan, now they <em>all</em> want us dead!" Indigo snarled, staring at the increasingly buff Primeape whose biceps were <em>literally</em> getting bigger with rage. Violet ignored him, standing firm as she pointed an accusing finger at Mandatharak with her whole arm outstretched.</p><p>
  <em>"Remember, Vie, a Primeape's intelligence plummets by half when they feel a surge of overwhelming anger…"</em>
</p><p>"<em>He</em> threw that!" she accused deliberately, pointing at the armless King of the Arbok in front of a large crowd of enraged Primeape.</p><p>"You can't be serious," Indigo deadpanned reflexively, and she wondered just whose side he was on anyways.</p><p>The Primeape exploded into shrieks of blind rage. They surged around Violet and Indigo like water, charging into war against the shocked Arbok with berserker fury. The brawl was as sudden as it was violent, enraged hisses and striking fangs drowned out by howling simians and bludgeoning fists.</p><p>Mandatharak reared back, fangs elongating into venomous daggers, but before he could strike any Primeape, Sējizaru himself slammed the top of his head with a double-footed kick which shattered the mask of bone into splinters, and ricocheted the King's skull against the stone. Before the dazed Arbok could recover, Sējizaru unleashed a flurry of lightning blows, howling like mad.</p><p>Some of the Primeape had actually seen Violet throw the ultra ball. Their anger blinded them to little details like whose fault it <em>actually</em> was, since there was a fight at hand, and a furious mob to join. The Arbok elite fought with toxic bloodlust, but sheer numbers turned the tide of battle, and despite their superior power, they were <em>losing</em>.</p><p>"By Layla's blood," Indigo swore, unable to tear his eyes away from the mosh pit of fighters currently doing their best to smear the Arbok into pulp. Violet tugged at his arm.</p><p>"Let's <em>go</em>, while they're distracted," she urged. "It could take days for them to calm down, and we won't get any sense out of them until then. If we get out, I'll do my best to convince someone to deliver pizza down here…"</p><p>Indigo stared, a strange, faraway look in his crimson eyes. "Let's go," Violet repeated urgently, pulling his arm.</p><p>Her heart thudded sharply in her chest. Roaring filled her ears. Violet felt like her soul had been cut off from her body, like she could see and feel, but not move, as a surge of warm lethargy oozed through her veins. Her bleeding arm was on fire with crackling agony.</p><p>Indigo turned at last, his worry quickly turning to panic as her vision tilted harshly to the side.</p><p>She knew when she hit stone, though by then Violet Hikari was far from being able to care, as the Arbok's venom finally overtook her. She descended into searing unconsciousness, her heartbeat thundering as loud as a drum, until she knew nothing else.</p><p>~o~</p><p>
  <strong>Author's Note: I used several martial arts terms in this chapter. For those curious, translations are as follows. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Shihan (Sējizaru): The 'Teacher of Teachers', one whose wisdom and fighting abilities are nearly unmatched. One who can see the hidden potential in those he meets at a glance, and assess their strength levels accurately. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Shodan (Indigo): A First Degree Black Belt. Indigo is referred to as the Iron-Shodan Warrior, a clear indicator of respect. His skills are considerable, but he is nowhere near the highest level Black Belt, unlike many of the Primeape. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Mukyu (Violet): No Level, or Red Belt. Someone clearly not trained in martial arts in the slightest. (Haha!)</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Shidoshi (Bruno): Director. While not an official teacher, the Shidoshi is referred to with the utmost respect. This is probably due to his mastery over Fighting Types. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>**Other Notes**</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The name Sējizaru is a play on the Japanese name for Primeape, Okorizaru, which originally means 'Angry Monkey'. Sējizaru translates roughly to 'Sage Monkey', reflecting his gentlemanly demeanor.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>'Saru Dojo' roughly translates to Monkey Dojo. Yeah, I know, real original. </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Cursed Destiny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: I am not, in fact, the supreme overlord of the internet. Yeah, sorry to crush your dreams.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~o~</p><p>One room in Cerulean Cave had no exits or entrances whatsoever. It was large, shaped like a long silo, with one pillar of stone in the center, shining under the spotlight of a massive inverted aura-crystal growing upside down from the ceiling. There was no path to the top of the pillar, and yet a figure stood on the peak, eyes closed.</p><p>"<em>You have come</em>," the figure said without turning, as a new presence entered its cave. They had teleported in – it was really the only way. Few knew it existed, much less how to enter.</p><p>"I caught wind of a disturbance a few hours ago. I thought I'd check in and see if you knew anything."</p><p>The figure almost laughed at that. The crystals adorning the ebony stone blazed into splendor, each and every one reflecting a scene from the past few hours in Cerulean Cave. They starred two individuals, a pale girl with determined lilac eyes and a lengthy sheet of straight black hair, and a powerful Lucario who fought as though he'd never forgotten what it felt like to lose. Hundreds of clips played in the shimmering facets of the crystals, showing the two battling, talking, and travelling. The larger crystals moved in slow motion; nightmare images of a bone-armored Arbok dripping with blood, a Gyarados spiraling towards the girl with jaws gaping wide, and a stampede of Rhyhorn. One showed the girl being bitten through her entire arm, and the look of sheer desperate panic on her Lucario's face when it happened; the crystals could not transmit sound, but her scream was just as excruciating as it would have been in person.</p><p>"<em>I see everything,</em>" Mewtwo observed, its answer transmitted directly into the guest's mind. "<em>Nothing in this cave escapes my notice. Not a cursed human…or, for that matter, a fallen hero.</em>" The legend paused, and all the images froze onto Violet's face. Mewtwo's eyes narrowed slightly. "<em>But which is which? There is more going on here than meets the eye…</em>"</p><p>"I'll say," Red swore, pulling the brim of his hat to better see the reflected scenes. "How did a trainer end up in here in the first place? The entrance is sealed. My alarm system would have alerted me if anyone had tampered with the barrier."</p><p>The crystals flickered, and the images vanished, leaving the aquamarine stones pristine once more. "<em>Perhaps, it is for the best,</em>" Mewtwo said at last, finally turning to look down at the former Champion of Kanto. "<em>Perhaps those two should meet their end here.</em>"</p><p>"Not on my watch," Red retorted, his tone leaving no room for disagreement. It was too easy, sometimes, to forget the savior of Kanto was barely seventeen, a child by any standard. "Where are they now?"</p><p>"<em>Near the end,</em>" Mewtwo intoned, and the crystals shone, showing the same image from a dozen different angles. The Lucario ran through the empty black tunnels, a limp body held in his arms; her veins were stained with blue-black bruising like roots, growing up the left side of her face to cradle one eye in spindled darkness. Barely, she breathed. The Lucario was speaking, keeping up a desperate flow of words to the dying girl.</p><p>"<em>In more ways than one, it would seem,</em>" Mewtwo observed coolly. Red was already walking away, back towards the crystal he had teleported in on. "<em>It is best not to interfere in the fate of humans. Leave them be.</em>"</p><p>"It may be the way of legends to stand back and watch the world unfold. I've never understood all that fate and destiny talk anyways…if a trainer is in trouble, I'm gonna save them, end of story. That is <em>my</em> way."</p><p>"<em>Is that why you ran to Mount Silver? Your region needed you then.</em>"</p><p>That was enough to give the boy pause. "Back then, I was just a kid. I'd just saved Kanto from Team Rocket, and everyone wanted me to…to <em>fix</em> everything they'd broken. But I knew I was still human, and no ten-year-old kid knows how to rebuild the economy, or repair so much hurt. Lance is the hero of Kanto. He always was. Born to lead, <em>born</em> for greatness…but that wasn't me. In my heart, I was never a Champion, or a leader. I am, and always will be, a trainer first. Maybe one day I'll be ready to stand at the head of the Elite Four; I might just take back my Championship. But I need to become better as a <em>person </em>first. Strength in battle is not all a Champion needs to lead a region."</p><p>"<em>You were a good enough person to save me, if I recall.</em>"</p><p>Red didn't answer, and Mewtwo knew it was useless to press further. Not that it mattered whether or not the boy became Champion once more. It would not change him in the eyes of his friends. "<em>I can bring you as far as the inner gate. They are currently in the dead zone, empty of all wild Pokémon. Whether or not they make it out of the final maze will be up to them…</em>"</p><p>"Thank you," Red murmured. "The last labyrinth is dangerous, even empty. A Lucario should have no problem seeing the path ahead however."</p><p>"<em>I sense a terrible injury within that Lucario. His aura pathways are burned out – it is unlikely he can mold enough aura to enhance his vision. But that is no true Lucario.</em>"</p><p>"I swear, you're unbearably cryptic on purpose," Red complained, narrowing his onyx eyes beneath the brim of his hat. "What exactly does that mean?"</p><p>Mewtwo's expression didn't change, but its tone took on a tinge of amusement. "<em>Exactly what it sounds like. That isn't a Lucario. He is human…and under an extraordinarily powerful curse. Stronger, in fact, than any I've ever witnessed. It would take a being of unspeakable power to wield such terrible strength.</em>"</p><p>It was rare for a human to be cursed into a Pokémon. Almost unheard of, really. Perhaps it warranted looking further into his destiny.</p><p>Psychic power rippled around Mewtwo's hands, distorting the dimensional barriers until reality yielded her secrets. Mewtwo's eyes snapped open, dark realizations and possible futures crashing over it in an inescapable tide.</p><p>Impossible. Undeniable! Mewtwo's mental voice burned sharp. "<em>Do not save them</em>!"</p><p>Surprise made Red pause. "Why not?"</p><p>~o~</p><p>Darkness seemed to chase him through the empty maze, reaching with the shadowy hands of long-dead friends. He didn't <em>dare</em> slow down, as if doing so would allow those hands to snatch away Violet's life, as their own had been stolen long ago. He spoke as he ran.</p><p>"Keep breathing! This <em>won't</em> be how your story ends, you hear me? I won't let it!"</p><p>The comatose girl in his arms did not respond. He could hear the slowing thump of her heartbeats past the howling wind of his passage. She had nearly woken a few times in response to his words, and so Indigo spoke, desperately trying to keep the closest thing he had to a friend alive.</p><p>"I don't know enough about this time to be alone…so teach me! About strategy, technology, and <em>donuts</em> for all I care! It doesn't matter! Just wake up!"</p><p>"<em>Your fault,</em>" whispered the insidious demon from his memories, as soft-spoken and cruel as ever. "<em>If only you'd obeyed me, no one would have had to die…Nightwalker.</em>"</p><p>"Shut UP!" Indigo howled, breaking his stream of words to shake <em>that voice</em> from his mind! "You…why couldn't you leave me in <em>peace</em>? Akkarin! I should have killed you the <em>moment we met</em>!"</p><p>He bit back a sobbing howl, pushing back his memories, because he didn't care about them. He <em>didn't!</em> All Indigo cared about right now was the girl in his arms!</p><p>"You swore you'd show me the worst movie of all time! For a girl like you to hate it with such sincerity, it must be an insult to humanity itself. But it can't be as bad as the tragedy of being caught by a rookie with a useless Magikarp starter! I <em>still</em> think it's ugly! Do you hear me, ridiculous girl? That Magikarp isn't fit to be my dinner, much less your precious favorite!"</p><p>Silent as the grave, Violet missed a breath, making his heart stutter painfully. Her breathing continued, shallow and uneven.</p><p>Indigo fought down the sudden surge of grief that twisted his heart.</p><p>It wasn't fair.</p><p>How many friends had he lost, now? How many dead, or cursing his name? Was it so wrong to ask for one? Just one person, who didn't despise him, to be by his side? Even if she was an unbearably shy, sugar-addicted girl with truly terrible taste in jokes!</p><p>Violet, the brilliant strategist. Violet, the genius battler, an expert in so many unexpected fields. A girl who had saved his life more times than he could count, today alone. Who had risked her life to fight against a serial killer…bravery that he <em>knew</em> was unbelievably rare.</p><p>One ridiculous trainer he'd only just met, who made him feel like he still mattered.</p><p>Like he was still <em>human</em>.</p><p>"You cannot die," Indigo begged in a broken growl, his arms tightening along with his chest. "<em>Please,</em> Violet, I beg of you…wake up!"</p><p>The black tunnel kissed by faint crystal light blurred with unshed tears. He had not seen a single Pokémon since leaving the Primeape den, or the slightest sign of life. And yet, the tunnels were never ending. They all looked the same, twisting and branching into each other like a tangled web. He didn't know if he was going the right direction - he could have been running back into the depths for all he knew. But Indigo kept moving, because stopping would feel like the end.</p><p>With prophetic timing, Indigo turned a corner and skidded to a stop, chest heaving. Thick crystal pillars branched into an uneven barricade, blocking the path ahead in several feet of diamond glass. <em>Dead end.</em> His burning legs trembled like leaves in a storm, already on the brink of giving out as he considered trying a new path. But, a dark voice from deep within whispered, how much longer could he keep this up? Violet's time could run out any second now. He didn't know how far the exit <em>was</em>, much less which direction to go.</p><p>If only he could see the way. If only his aura vision weren't damaged. If only-</p><p>But then again, did damage really matter at this point?</p><p>He set Violet carefully down on the ground, brushing her ebony hair back from a pale face marked with poisonous broken veins. This was going to hurt. He tried not to think about it.</p><p>Indigo slipped his feral red eyes closed, drawing on his old human strength to leap without thinking. Aura surged like hot silver, passing through his muscles in a watery sensation that was strangely metaphysical, his energy, thoughts, and <em>very self </em>condensed into malleable power. Like lightning, like <em>fire</em>, energizing but cold. His power whirled, and at once he forced it through the aching meridian behind his eyes. The energy pathways connected, flaring to burning life as his aura sensors quivered and spastically rose-</p><p>And then he was writhing on the ground, white agony burning his vision with volcanic force. Someone was screaming, somewhere over the high-pitched keen drilling into his mind, someone with his voice. Indigo shattered the connection in a mindless panic.</p><p>The relief was immediate. The sensation of molten metal poured onto his brain ebbed away with each heartbeat, until he could pull in a gasping, shuddering breath. Shocked he'd survived.</p><p>But he'd seen nothing.</p><p>Not even a <em>glimmer</em> of the path ahead.</p><p>Indigo let out a raw howl, clutching his head in his spiked paws.</p><p>He was utterly useless! So tired he could barely stand, and so weak he couldn't save one girl! She <em>needed</em> him. A living, breathing being needed <em>him</em>, and he was unable to help! Poor Violet, having such a useless protector. Maybe she would be better off with her Magikarp after all!</p><p>He cast a weary look at Violet, wondering which path he should try next. Maybe he could simply break the crystals barring the way and continue on this one. But no, shattering crystal might attract trouble. This section looked deserted, but perhaps that was due to a single, much stronger monster driving everything else away…</p><p>It took him several long seconds to realize Violet Hikari had stopped breathing.</p><p>"Hey," he rasped, getting to his knees. "Hey! You can't give up here. Do you hear me? You can't just <em>give up!</em>"</p><p>No response. Her head hung limply against the stone, eyes only mostly closed. Bruises leeched from the swollen black veins tracing patterns up her neck, like ink spilled in water.</p><p>His legs didn't want to move anymore. He half-crawled to her side, shaking her shoulder desperately. No, no, no. This couldn't happen. "Violet!" Indigo called, the denial in his heart slowly giving way to the crushing reality before his eyes.</p><p>And despite the undeniable fact that his aura system was damaged, Indigo put both his palms over her chest, one on top of the other, and channeled a surge of blue energy directly into her heart. She jolted, as though she'd been struck by lightning.</p><p>The pain was immediate. His muscles <em>screamed</em> with it, searing him alive from the inside out, but Indigo Nightwalker gritted his teeth and waited out the swelling tide of torment until it passed.</p><p>"Not today," Indigo snarled to thin air, his palms shining with another flare of aura light. The agony made it hard to breath, hard to speak, but he'd been there before. He delivered another pulse into her chest, and Violet jerked, her heart stuttering before giving out again. "Do you <em>hear</em> me universe? You can't have her! Not today, or any other day!" With that he gathered aura into his eyes once more, trying to <em>force</em> his aura vision to manifest. The resulting torture blacked out his vision entirely for the next few seconds, and his scream bounced erratically off the narrow walls.</p><p>His vision came back slowly, the darkness receding, but everything remained blurred and out of focus. Sullen fire burned behind his eyes.</p><p>Another pulse of life energy to her heart, another stab of agony. He laughed, a raw, humorless sound, because what did it matter? It wasn't as though he could get her out, even if her heart magically <em>did</em> restart. She needed a doctor, or a miracle.</p><p>He tried to activate his aura vision for the third time, and the pain somehow doubled from what it had been before, receding twice as slowly as his body screamed at him to stop. He brushed away tears from his fur roughly; his paw came away stained with crimson. Blood dripped from his nose as well. He could even feel it trickling from his ears.</p><p>He slumped over Violet's body, real tears mixing with the blood dripping from his eyes, fighting back the sobs heaving from his chest. Effort alone couldn't save her. He'd die before he solved anything. He might die anyways, alone and wounded in this nightmare cave. <em>Useless.</em></p><p>"I'm sorry…you had to meet me. If it weren't for me, you'd be-" his voice failed him, and Indigo broke off, a different kind of agony burning his soul.</p><p>If he had never come here, if he'd died in the past like he'd been meant to do all along, Violet would never have been pulled into this. She would have lived a happy, normal life, free of the nightmares which seemed to follow him like a cloud.</p><p>Tero Akkarin's cruel smile flashed once before his eyes, a reminder that his fate had always been like this. For all his good intentions, for all his effort, everything always seemed to burn to ashes between his fingers. He'd failed Violet, like he'd failed Halladen.</p><p>All at once, he couldn't hold back his words anymore, just past the point where it no longer mattered. "I never told you. I'm human, Violet, did you know that? I'm the traitor from the tales of Halladen, the boy who tried to save the kingdom, and failed. <em>I'm</em> the reason the King of Fire won. I was cursed for my crimes, exiled to the future. I never told you because I was afraid you would turn your back on me. I didn't want to see the fear in your eyes, the pity…do you know how hard it is, to admit you failed? I wanted…for you to see me as a hero. Not some pitiful reject, who couldn't even stop one mad king. You made me want to be a hero again."</p><p>She didn't respond, and he could not look at her face. Her silence was all the answer he needed. The weight of his failures crushed his shoulders, and for the first time since being cursed, the barriers in his mind crumbled and Indigo remembered true despair. Black rot spread from his core, paralyzing his thoughts with helpless pain as excruciating memories froze like glass at their harshest moments all around him.</p><p>The world didn't need him. No one did. Even if he returned to the past, he would only fail a second time. Tero was too strong to be defeated, and it was entirely his fault.</p><p>
  <em>"If you had never been born, this world would be a better place."</em>
</p><p>"I call on thee, White Nightmare," Indigo intoned, the thin air warming noticeably at his words. "<em>Nivalis.</em> Isn't this what you wanted? To punish me for what I've done? For whatever harm I've caused, I'm <em>sorry</em>, do you hear me, witch? I tried to do what I thought was right, and people paid with their lives for it. I'm sorry I made so many terrible mistakes…but please…don't let Violet be another one. Save her! She is only a girl who has never seen war, but she does not deserve to die!"</p><p>Heavy silence met his plea, and Indigo cried, broken sobs which threatened to tear his steel bones apart, with no one to see but the darkness. Exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer as he hunched over her body, with an agony no less real for being in his heart rather than his flesh. Wishing that his transformation had given him the power to save her life.</p><p>His tears dripped on Violet's pale face, slipping down her skin like rain.</p><p>"<em>It did.</em>"</p><p>His head snapped up, the faint words vanishing before he could even be sure they'd been there. Nivalis? It was too faint to tell! But hope latched onto his thoughts like steel barbs, refusing to let go!</p><p>There was an answer. Surely there had to be an answer, and he wasn't just hallucinating what he wanted to hear most!</p><p>And then he noticed the tears on Violet's cheeks shining with faint silver. The droplets vanished beneath her skin like liquid moonlight, so subtle he wouldn't have noticed had he not been watching closely. He hissed in an understanding breath, old legends crashing over him in disjointed bursts of memory.</p><p>Princess Mireal of old, resurrected by the tears of ice Pokémon, after her mother screamed for her life to be returned! A beautiful tale, but a tragic one, ending with the savior of Halladen's death years later. He'd heard it a thousand times from his mother. The tears of Pokémon had otherworldly power, giving some of their lifespan to a human they chose. But it could only be used once by Pokémon, and received once by humans. Worse, it didn't always work, and no one was sure why!</p><p>Hundreds of Pokémon had created that miracle for one baby girl, and he was only one. Even if he should succeed, it would damage his lifespan. Perhaps he'd perish outright. Was he even Pokémon enough, or was he still too human?</p><p>Questions whirled without answer, and Indigo hesitated.</p><p>Was it worth saving Violet if it meant he couldn't return to save Riza?</p><p>Horrified, he slammed the thought away, shaking his head violently as he physically recoiled from her body. No, no, NO! He wasn't that kind of person! Not anymore…never again!</p><p>
  <em>Liar.</em>
</p><p>Alright, yes, he admitted with sick realization, disgusted by that core of who he was. It was a lie! But that wasn't who he wanted to be. He didn't <em>know</em> he'd die. And if he did, it was what he deserved for thinking such thoughts! Spurred on by his rash resolve, Indigo gritted his sharp teeth together, letting his tears flow again.</p><p>They were just tears. No silver power accompanied them. All he accomplished was dampening his fur. What was he doing wrong? His paw clenched into a wild fist, shaking with effort.</p><p>Aura. The silver power was like <em>aura</em>. Maybe giving away core pieces of aura, of <em>soul</em>, was what made the power work! Humans and Pokémon had different types of aura, not that he'd ever cared before. Indigo opened his aura channels, trying to infuse his tears with aura by <em>force</em>! Silver-blue tainted the tears, but still they did not absorb into her skin like before.</p><p>It was because he didn't mean it. Not completely. Not like before. Part of him hesitated, and so he had no power at all.</p><p>Indigo howled, bowed over her body in immense, muscle-binding pain. His fault, again. Truly his fault! For being so weak willed, as always! The crystal light danced and flickered madly in response to his pain-</p><p>His eyes snapped open, realizations blowing his emotions aside like scattered embers.</p><p>How blind he'd been. It had been obvious from the beginning, yet he hadn't put two and two together. Those silver-blue crystals, which lit up in response to movement…to aura! Like a blind man seeing the light, Indigo placed a bloody paw to the glassy crystal: <em>feeling </em>the faintest hum of life within, connected to thousands of crystals within the cave in vast diamond veins.</p><p>The crystals were aura sensitive. And more than that, charged with the power and souls of every being who'd lived, felt, and died in the caves. Power enough to save Violet, without risking exhausting his own meager soul!</p><p>His throat closed up. "Thank you," Indigo choked out, hardly knowing who he was thanking as he pressed his forehead to the cool glass. Hesitating no longer, he drew from the wellspring and focused on wishing for a life, a friend, a <em>miracle</em>. The pain returned, but more manageable. He was just a conduit, not the source.</p><p>Bare seconds had passed since her heart last stuttered under his aura bursts, despite his inner turmoil. His tears floated, lifting off his fur like motes of moonlit embers to her form. Violet lay still and unmoving as silver rained upon her bare skin, disappearing beneath the surface where they continued to glow, until her skin shone with faint luminescence. The dark venom bruising her swollen veins hissed, bubbling to the surface where it dissipated into toxic curls of purple smoke, until her puncture wounds ran with clean blood, no corruption to be seen. Pink puckered the sides of the wounds, already beginning to heal. Her heartbeat thumped a steady, gentle rhythm, and Violet shifted, sighing in her sleep.</p><p>The absence of pain and worry floored him. Indigo sank to the ground, crying still though his tears no longer contained any power. Exhaustion, relief, and guilt warred beyond his tears, because it had been so very close. He'd almost been alone again, with the guilt of another tragic failure binding him like iron chains. The crystalline pillars blocking their path were riddled with fine cracks, he noticed dully, leeched of color until they resembled plain glass. Who knew how much power he'd stolen from this section of Cerulean Cave?</p><p>"I won't let this go to waste," he promised himself out loud, wearily rising to his feet on his second try. "We will survive this!" With a cry, he lunged forward, shattering the spent crystal into glassy shards with a flurry of blows. More blue crystals winked in the distance beyond the opened passage, their colors faint, but not exhausted. "I actually have a plan, now," he informed Violet as he gathered her in his arms. "Shocking, I know." A grin stretched across his tired face, elation lending him strength he hadn't known he still had. Hope was its own drug, one that let him forget what he'd almost just done.</p><p>He padded carefully over the bed of jagged crystal, edging sharper pieces away with his furred paw, making his way to the next flickering crystal he found. He deposited the unconscious girl on the stone once more, gathering aura to his palms, as small an amount as he could manage so as not to injure himself. Blue light shone within, so similar to the aura flames he'd wielded so many times before.</p><p>The boy-turned-Lucario pressed his palm against the cerulean glass, and brilliant light cast his shadow in stark relief behind him, connecting his mind with the vast living soul of Cerulean Cave. Visions from the immense crystal veins flitted across his consciousness as if he were rushing through the cave like wind, showing scenes and flashes of vivid emotion in a sequence, energy humming through his bones with a cool relief which soothed his aching wounds. He saw <em>everything</em>: waterfalls, hidden nests, strange sunless fruits, and species beyond counting, the vision spreading farther than he thought possible along veins stretching beneath the seas. For a brief moment, he saw a vast tree dotted by the same cerulean crystals, far, far away, a laughing pink presence flitting about…and then it was gone as quickly as it'd come.</p><p>He opened his scarlet eyes with wonder, humbled by the strange experience, more vivid and far reaching than even his aura vision. A pity it was limited to the most dangerous cave on earth! But there was that tree, somewhere.</p><p>Most importantly, he had what he needed. The path out of Cerulean Cave was etched into his mind in perfect clarity, barely ten minutes away. He shook with quiet laughter, a helpless smile breaking across his face past his exhaustion. He picked up Violet, breaking into a run through the final maze.</p><p>Indigo clung to the bright feeling in his chest with wild abandon, as though afraid it would fly away from him once more. Who cared why there weren't Pokémon here, or that he'd nearly failed? He hadn't, and they were safe, so why waste brain power worrying over a maybe? They had done it. Nothing was left to stand in their way, except a few twists and turns – and one hidden passage behind a large crystal, which he seriously doubted he would have found on his own. It was a tight squeeze, holding Violet, and then they were on their way.</p><p>Twice he touched the crystals once more, reaffirming their course.</p><p>He had to hand it to Karo, the man had truly <em>tried</em> to send them to their deaths. Too bad he'd underestimated the girl with her incredible partner, the Magikarp, and a talking Lucario who had never battled until a year ago. It was completely laughable! The King of Fire would have annihilated the pretentious blond in a single heartbeat, with <em>both</em> hands tied behind his back. The future really needed to work on the quality of its villains.</p><p>His heart soared as they entered the final cavern, the last hurdle in the massive labyrinth that was Cerulean Cave. Sweet air assaulted his senses, a blissful change after the mustiness he'd grown accustomed to underground, smelling of leaves and the crisp tang of autumn. The entrance stood open to the outside, actual sunlight pushing back the gloom.</p><p>Indigo took one step forward; the moment he did, gravity increased ten-fold, the pressure threatening to churn his bones to <em>dust</em>, and he collapsed to his knees, struggling not to drop Violet. The air itself distorted beneath the pressure, rippling and condensing. It was all he could do to raise his head enough to see the source of that horrific, elemental power!</p><p>A tailed figure hung in the air with eyes gleaming brilliant blue, silhouetted by the sunlight just out of reach.</p><p>A voice in Indigo's head began to swear. Oh. This was <em>unreasonable</em>! He struggled violently, an animalistic snarl ripping from behind his fangs.</p><p><em>Give me a moment to breathe</em>! They'd <em>just</em> escaped mortal peril, and he hadn't recovered yet, physically <em>or</em> emotionally! How exactly was he supposed to deal with <em>this</em>? How utterly, <em>annoyingly</em> unfair! He would fight, this thing would see-!</p><p>The strange creature raised three spherical fingers, clenching them into a fist. It glowed once with cerulean light, and the pressure <em>doubled</em>, forcing his head down once more. Blood pressure roared like a storm around his creaking bones, pain erupting along his joints. Violet tumbled to the stone, rolling a slight distance away; he barely noticed through the crushing weight.</p><p>"<em>What are you?</em>" Indigo ground out with a strangled cry, his forehead nearly touching the cold black stone. He couldn't move. He could barely <em>think</em>. Never had Indigo seen anything so <em>powerful</em>…it defied imagination!</p><p>A flick of the creature's wrist sent Indigo slamming into a wall; his skull cracked against the stone, a spider-web of chasms shattering around him, crushed by the same psychic pressure. The creature's gleaming eyes narrowed into cold blue slits behind its outstretched arm, and broken shards of rock floated into the air as though gravity itself were being negated by the insane power. Even the warm sunlight shining through the open exit faded, pushed back from the darkness of Cerulean Cave.</p><p>"You are pitiful. Do you truly believe you can protect anyone?"</p><p>Intelligent, powerful…but why so hostile? Towards a stranger! "Why are you <em>doing</em> this?" Indigo snarled, forcing his scarlet eyes to stay open, to keep his enemy in sight like his instincts screamed at him to do. His sight blurred and refocused radically, black creeping in from the edges. Was this <em>thing</em> the being keeping the wild Pokémon away?</p><p>The creature smiled.</p><p>"<em>To teach you a lesson.</em>"</p><p>The pressure lightened just enough that it was no longer a struggle to see.</p><p>Violet hung in the air beside the psychic like a doll, outlined by cerulean light. Indigo fought the power restraining him with everything he had, aura burning in his eyes.</p><p>"Let her go-!"</p><p>"<em>That is not for you to decide,</em>" the psychic cut him off calmly, "<em>…human boy.</em>"</p><p><em>That</em> got his attention.</p><p>"What is it you want from me?" Indigo asked, quietly fearing the answer he might receive. There was no doubt he was in the presence of a legendary, god-like beings shrouded in mystery, who wielded the powers of the universe itself; some even possessed the ability to re-stich time and space, and write new laws of reality on a whim.</p><p>"<em>Know me, human, for I am Mewtwo, the second incarnation of the Origin, the ancestor of life itself. This cave is my domain, the creatures within my subjects. I see you for what you are. Not a true hero, but a liar pretending at the title. She isn't your friend. You care nothing for her, except as a damsel to protect, so your own guilt is eased.</em>"</p><p>"That isn't true," Indigo snarled, caught off guard. "What would you know? Violet is my friend!"</p><p>"<em>And if she knew what you were? Do you truly believe this 'friend' of yours would accept you?</em>"</p><p>"Why does that matter?" Indigo snapped, the words striking a nerve deep within. "Cease your riddles, and answer me!"</p><p>Mewtwo lowered his arm, and Indigo fell to the ground. He landed in an easy crouch, scarlet eyes blazing, straightening with every muscle tense, his senses on full alert.</p><p>"<em>I was born of science, and yet, my power allows me see the fabric of destiny itself. Prophecies hang over you like a cloud, human boy, past, present, and future…more than perhaps you know of. I see your curse like a storm cloud, whispers of ghostly shade from your association with the long fabled Queen of Darkness, the curse of hatred from Entei, and even the gift of the Ninetales, which protects your blood.</em>"</p><p>"If you're talking about Nivalis, you're dead wrong," Indigo growled impatiently. "That particular Ninetales would burn me alive before giving me any gift!"</p><p>"<em>The string that is your destiny is entangled with many others. And yet, if your path continues on its present course, it could spell disaster for this world. Do not worry – I am not here to harm you, or you would already be dead. I have shown you my strength only to force you to pay attention to my counsel.</em>"</p><p>"Have you ever heard of writing a letter to get someone's attention? Some nice stationary goes a long way." Indigo griped, glaring at the legend with everything he had, since fighting would be incredibly stupid. He settled for sarcasm instead. "Not that I don't understand why you didn't. It must be difficult to write around that massive ego."</p><p>Mewtwo's eyes narrowed. "<em>This is for your own good.</em>"</p><p>"You should have thought of that before throwing me into a wall. Has it occurred to you that I would not listen? Especially after you kidnapped my friend?" How long had this obnoxious creature been watching them? It must have seen their trials, and chosen to stand back and wait!</p><p>"<em>You do not comprehend,</em>" Mewtwo mused. "<em>I shall put it simply. You <strong>must</strong> return to your time. It is not a question of atonement, or vengeance…or even of the lives left behind. It is essential you return. For the sake of the world, you must break your curse, Indigo Nightwalker. You were only a pawn, in a battle stretching long before your birth, and controlled by forces more powerful than you realize, even now. The battle for your ancient land cannot be lost. Do you understand now?</em>"</p><p>"I was going to do that anyways! Tero Akkarin has been dead for centuries…why would you care about <em>my</em> fight? This has nothing to do with you!"</p><p>"<em>It has to do with all life. This future you see before you is in limbo. It can still be destroyed. Time and space are stretched, bent around your curse, and the fate of reincarnation itself is in question. I regret that I cannot help you further than this. The demon known as Tero Akkarin, the King of Fire, must be stopped, before all is lost. My warning is simple, cursed warrior. Prepare yourself. The coming battle will be beyond anything you have seen before. The legends will war, and your role may turn the tide…or doom those you love most. <strong>But you are not ready</strong>. Prepare, and once you are strong enough to break free of this curse, only then can you fulfill your destiny.</em>"</p><p>"I don't <em>understand</em>. Tero already got everything he wanted! What more could he be planning? The fate of the world…one man cannot destroy the world, no matter how strong he is!" Indigo protested, his mind reeling. This was too much. He only wanted to return home to <em>right</em> his wrongs…it couldn't be that the war wasn't over yet!</p><p>"<em>One man cannot</em>," Mewtwo agreed. "<em>He couldn't have reached that point without <strong>you</strong>.</em>"</p><p>Indigo flinched horribly, his legs weak. He sank to the ground, as the weight he'd carried the past year overcame him. "Then stop it," the lone warrior begged hoarsely. "I'm not <em>enough</em>. Whatever he's planning, <em>stop it</em>. A being like you should have no problems with this fight!"</p><p>But Mewtwo shook its head. "<em>I can do nothing more. It is not my place to decide destiny. I can only prepare you to face battle on a new scale, and inform you that you are correct. You aren't enough. You never will be. Alone, that is.</em>" As he spoke, he lowered Violet to the ground at Indigo's feet. She hadn't woken, her breathing steady and deep. Mewtwo's psychic power brushed the hair from her face. "<em>You are not alone. This is true in both the past and present. Your mistake was to take everything upon yourself, every burden, and battle alike. Learn from that mistake. Do not forget your friends.</em>"</p><p>"My battles are dangerous," Indigo whispered, remembering his past trauma. "I don't want anyone I love to be hurt."</p><p>"<em>Trust those who care for you. Trust them to fight, and to experience pain, and even to die. Some battles are worth the lives of good people. That is the nature of struggle. This is all I can tell you, for now.</em>"</p><p>In an instant, Mewtwo was gone, leaving without the slightest trace he'd been there at all. Indigo lowered his head, tears threatening again, badly shaken by the cryptic warnings of a legendary. His shoulders shook, and Indigo breathed deep, struggling to regain his composure. He gathered his strength for a long moment, exhausted and thoroughly burned out.</p><p>"Who are you?" Indigo asked at last, not looking up.</p><p>After a pause, the figure standing outside the cave moved into view, ducking his head so his hat didn't get caught on the low entrance. A Pikachu dashed around his ankles, and hopped from the wall to the boy's shoulder easily, peering at Indigo curiously. His voice was as clear as the boundless sky. "You can call me Red."</p><p>"Are you Mewtwo's trainer?" Indigo enquired, appraising the strange young man as he fed a treat to the Pikachu on his shoulder. Ebony hair stuck out beneath a red brimmed hat, accentuating dark eyes that were somehow intense and warm all at once. Power emanated from his aura, unyielding and endless, as if he had seen all the darkness in the world and overcome it all. Indigo's own aura warmed and strengthened just from sitting near the quiet boy.</p><p>Red grinned, scratching his Pikachu's ears fondly. "I was once. That was a long time ago. Sorry for the whole cryptic destiny speech, I'm afraid he insisted it was necessary. Can't tell you how many of those I've had to sit through. You did well to make it this far…you and your trainer."</p><p>"Do you know what Mewtwo was talking about?" Indigo asked wearily. He would process everything he'd heard later…but for now, he was just tired.</p><p>Red shook his head. "Sounds like you're on an adventure. I know better than anyone how awful that can be. But Mewtwo is right – you aren't alone. Help from a legendary is rare – count yourself lucky." Indigo snorted, and Red chuckled at him. "Might not seem like <em>help</em> right now…but trust me. Mewtwo doesn't do anything without reason. If it's intervening at all, it's to protect this world. Remember that, if it ever steps in again."</p><p>He wrestled with the idea, finally concluding the boy might be right. Indigo nodded curtly, eyes squeezed close. Red sat with him for a while, feeding treats to his energetic Pikachu.</p><p>At last, Indigo stood, carefully lifting Violet once more. He couldn't rest yet. There was still one more thing he had to do. Red looked up at him, taking his measure. "Cerulean City is visible from the cave. If you'd like, I can bring you both there on my Pidgeot," he offered.</p><p>Indigo thought about it, and shook his head once. "We made it here together. I want to bring her to safety with my own arms. Thank you, for the offer…but this is something I need to do." He held her tighter, and knew despite his tiredness that he could never drop her.</p><p>Red nodded. "I get that. There is one more thing. Not a command, or a warning, but plain advice, from someone who knows a bit on the subject of redemption. The first step is to forgive yourself for not being perfect. Whatever happened, whatever you've done, you need to forgive yourself before you can ever grow. If you can manage that, the rest will be easier."</p><p>"Thanks," Indigo said tiredly, managing a crooked grin. "Random stranger I just met."</p><p>Red's eyes twinkled, and he stepped aside as Indigo carried Violet Hikari out of Cerulean Cave once and for all.</p><p>~o~</p><p>
  <strong>Author's Note: Thank you all for reading the Cerulean Cave arc! I liked this one a lot - it was very intense, with a lot of potential for battle scenes I could never have used otherwise. And the cave itself is so gorgeous! Once I decided on nesting species in caverns, I just had so many ideas! I could have written an entire story within this cave without running out of inspiration. I didn't have room for everything without distracting from the main plot, so I chose my favorites. </strong>
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  <strong>Developing the character relationship between Indigo and Violet throughout this arc was the driving force of my storyboards. They have such a strong dynamic, and I've enjoyed depicting their interactions in a variety of situations and emotional states. Most importantly, I needed a stressful environment which would require both of their unique strengths, while being impossible for either one to survive alone. </strong>
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  <strong>Violet's character exposition was especially important, now that Indigo is well established. I wanted a heroine who is smart, capable, and nice, without fighting for the same role Indigo's personality plays. Highlighting their differences, while showing how valuable their teamwork can be, led me to a heroine who is more general than warrior, who uses a smile where Indigo would use rudeness. While both are entertaining and unique on their own, I ended up liking their dynamic even more than their actions as individuals. </strong>
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  <strong>In the original, Mandatharak had no name, and was just a normal Arbok. Which bored me. And so, a truly horrifying cannibal in bone armor was born! Scarier, sure, but a lot more fun as a plot point. This arc was originally one chapter, and I'd print it out just to burn it. This version is immeasurably better.</strong>
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  <strong>Thank you all for your lovely reviews! Even little comments are valuable to authors, though we like to pretend we don't cackle over them and hoard them like shiny gemstones. </strong>
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  <strong>~Little Miss Firebright</strong>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. His Dark Confession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: For those of you thinking that maybe THIS time I’ll suddenly own Pokémon, I have some bad news…</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rainbows glittered above the faint blanket of mist hazing the humid valley. Deep blue rivers snaked through the lush grass, and unfamiliar mountains rose into the heavens, blurred by distance. A glittering city lay nestled between rivers and windswept plains; a jewel hidden by nature and water.</p><p>Cerulean City.</p><p>Indigo jumped off the ridge to a sloping hill, landing lightly on the padded grass. He squinted and blinked into the light through half-hooded eyes, unaccustomed to the brightness of day. The sun hung low in the east, painting the horizon with a spill of vibrant pink light.</p><p>Morning, again. They’d been in Cerulean Cave for just one day. It was strange to think the sun had continued on its path; that somewhere, while they were in mortal danger, others had been enjoying a beautiful autumn day.</p><p>Peace radiated from Violet’s sleeping face, despite her burned and bloodied pajamas. His desperate tears had healed the worst of her injuries, although he couldn’t help but worry that she hadn’t woken yet…</p><p>No. Indigo shook his head, clearing away his nagging worries like cobwebs. A doctor would see to the rest of her injuries. The worst of the danger had passed.</p><p>But there was still one thing he needed to check.</p><p>He cleared his throat in the chilled air, with no one but the boundless sky and thick swaying grass to hear him, and spoke loudly. “We’re safe now. There is absolutely nothing, <em>nothing</em> at all that could go wrong at this exact moment in time. How dangerous could it possibly be to walk to that city over there? What’s the worst that could happen? We’re not going to die. In fact, I <em>dare</em> the universe to strike us down with something unlikely, such as a meteor or a lightning bolt, or some other ridiculous plot twist which has no business existing in real life!”</p><p>The serene hillside did not answer. No flaming chunks of rock tore through the sky, no chasms opened up beneath their feet, and not a single conveniently timed monster chose that exact moment to jump out and try to eat them. Indigo smiled with satisfaction, and his tenseness faded as he truly relaxed for the first time since leaving the cave.</p><p>He felt a surge of vindictive smugness, as he chose a path down the grassy hillside. How many people had challenged karma like that and not been immediately killed? Indigo and Violet had been through a horrible ordeal, and he felt it only right the universe owe <em>them</em> for a change.</p><p>They really were out of danger.</p><p>A flock of Pidgey chose that moment to burst from a nearby tree in a screaming cacophony, and Indigo jumped on instinct with a high-pitched yelp, nearly tripping on landing.</p><p>It took him a moment to compose himself as they flew past, very glad no one had been around to see that. His face burned as he carried his trainer to Cerulean City, grumbling beneath his breath.</p><p>He saw no one at all on his path downwards, save a few cautious Sandshrew, who darted back into their earthen nests upon seeing the battle-scarred warrior.</p><p>In fact, it was almost too quiet. Surely there should be a <em>few</em> people outside the city? He padded over a boardwalk of polished golden pine, wondering where on earth everyone was.</p><p>The boardwalks gave way to grey-tiled pavements like polished wet scales, and he was greeted by a cheerful cornflower-blue sign which read: ‘Welcome to Cerulean City! Fall in love with our beautiful aquatic paradise!’ A perfect glassy pool surrounded the sign, silky-finned Goldeen darting beneath the surface between white lilies and tough spiked reeds.</p><p>He padded down the dead streets past abandoned parks and locked stores, not a soul in sight. The city truly was beautiful, even <em>empty</em>. Deep trenches cobbled with bright mosaics cut beside the glittering granite walkways, redirecting crystal-clear water through the city like arteries. The canals ran deep, occasionally connecting to dancing fountains in the center of large pavilions, or aboveground tanks. Water Pokémon traversed the city more easily than people, living alongside humanity in ways he wouldn’t have thought possible.</p><p>At once, he was reminded of how parched his throat was. Indigo pressed the need down, casting his gaze out for a Pokémon Center.</p><p>He found it in the epicenter of the city, behind a massive oval reflecting pool made of midnight stone. A seamless glass aquarium rose high above the dark-mirrored surface, connected to the deep reservoirs beneath the city. As Indigo watched, a Gyarados spiraled up into the tank, casting a watery shadow over him. Jagged crystals lined the reflecting pool in the hues of frozen wind and mystic waters.</p><p>A chill shuddered through him at the all-too-familiar crystals and stone. They’d been harvested, rather than naturally grown, cut off from the rest of the crystal network. Indigo walked past the monument to Cerulean Cave, his fur prickling as the aura crystals seemed to watch his back.</p><p>Darkness loomed behind the doors of the Pokémon Center. He shifted one arm just enough to pull at the door without setting Violet down. It rattled and stuck. Indigo frowned. He could see no one inside. Surely a hospital would not lock its doors so?</p><p>Indigo began to regret his earlier challenge to the universe. But someone had to be inside. And he wasn’t about to turn around. He growled low in his throat, narrowing his scarlet eyes.</p><p>Dragon Pulse howled from his gaping mouth, blasting the fragile doors into jagged splinters of glass with a whirling vortex of lightning-blue energy. Indigo stepped over the broken threshold irritably, choosing his steps with care between the shards of glass, ears perked for any sound. The main room was empty as well, abandoned and dark. He began to wonder if he’d made a mistake coming here.</p><p>Sirens exploded around him in a wailing scream as metal doors slammed down where the glass had been with concussive crashes, locking down the Pokémon Center with him trapped inside. Chrome lights whirled above the screeching alarms, bathing the dark room in cherry-red flashes.</p><p>The metallic song of bursting poké balls lit up the sides of the room, and in an instant Indigo and Violet weren’t alone. Looming shadows growled, their heads scraping the ceiling, and predatory eyes gleamed in the dark. A Jolteon nearest him hissed with bared fangs, blue lightning crackling wildly across his jagged fur, accentuating eyes gleaming with a mad storm. Pokémon surrounded them, in front of the grim trainers who had been waiting out of sight.</p><p>Indigo gritted his teeth, his wide eyes darting between potential enemies. The blaring alarm was agony to his ears, impossible to ignore. They were surrounded. His brain shut down, giving him nothing at all in the way of a plan, but he had to do <em>something</em>-</p><p>“Wait!” A magenta haired nurse stepped forward, her forehead creasing. Her Latias trilled worriedly at her advance, held back only by her outstretched hand.</p><p>Shock flashed over Nurse Joy’s pretty face.</p><p>The battle-scarred Lucario held out the bloodstained girl in the shifting red glare of the emergency alarms. “Please,” he begged. Tracks of dark blood marked his fur in streaks from his eyes and ears, barely beginning to dry. Violet appeared so still in his arms she could have been mistaken for a corpse.</p><p>“Help us!”</p><p>~o~</p><p>Karo Asuna’s escape had turned into an international incident.</p><p>News stations played his story over and over again, going through his alleged crimes, past history, and pretend heroics, obsessively covering every detail of the story that shocked the region to its core. The hero-turned-monster had become a sensation. People could talk of nothing else. And amidst the bombshell of his traitorous tale, Violet’s own role had not been forgotten.</p><p>“<em>-in the aftermath of the incident in Pewter City, Miss Violet Hikari, the trainer responsible for Karo’s exposure, vanished. Signs of breaking and entering were discovered in her family home, the estate of Kenjiro Hikari, a high-ranking board member of Silph Co. Her whereabouts, along with those of alleged-murderer Karo Asuna, are currently unknown. Some speculate Miss Hikari has been taken captive or killed. The police declined to comment on this theory, stating nothing can be said with certainty until further evidence is collected. Following the events of their sister city, Cerulean is currently on lockdown, until it is verified that the fugitive serial killer is no longer in the area. Stay tuned for a live report from our researchers on location, later in the afternoon…”</em></p><p>“The city is in a state of emergency. Most of the citizens are in the maintenance tunnels, which are used to channel the water systems throughout the city. Of course, some trainers had Pokémon in the center for treatment. They refused to leave. Everyone was on edge, just <em>waiting</em> for danger. Which explains your…less than positive greeting.”</p><p>Indigo did not look at the girl explaining the situation, though he listened intently. He watched the TV instead, sharp eyes missing no details. The inner rooms of the Pokémon Center were lit and operational, past the trainer barricade guarding the exterior. Full of rare Pokémon and supplies, the Center was the ideal target for Karo, should he arrive in Cerulean.</p><p>It had been five hours since Violet’s admittance into the ER. Indigo’s own injuries had been far less severe. An hour and a half with a powerful Blissey had been enough to heal the worst of the damage.</p><p>But, as the nurse had informed him, the damage to his aura pathways was more serious. She’d given him a few light aura exercises to use, along with a prescription for time and rest. He’d slept fitfully for a few hours, but could not rest easy with his trainer’s fate in question. Indigo <em>hated</em> waiting.</p><p>He had opted to find answers instead, and worked up the courage to speak to a trainer in the Pokémon Center to fill in the gaps. He hadn’t been counting on her being so <em>chatty</em>.</p><p>“Everyone was so shocked when you two showed up! It’s been less than two days! It takes three to get through Mount Moon, and you two were barely alive! Your trainer is named Violet Hikari, right? And you’re the Lucario who Karo was trying to catch in the mountains? I know all about it. It’s all over the news!” she said matter-of-factly.</p><p>Her powder-blue hair was pulled back into a braided bow, with twin ribbons of hair which hung like silk down to her slim waist. She wore a baggy black pants decorated with a wide blue stripe, and a tight-fitting tank top under a green vest the same shade as her moss-green eyes. A stylish brown leather belt held a satchel for poké balls. Her oversized combat boots were the same heavy material, but rough with frequent use. The girl wore fingerless black gloves decorated with white roses. She smiled, tilting her head as he finally turned to look, her eyes mischievous behind the long bangs framing her face.</p><p>Indigo did not smile back. He wasn’t trying to be unfriendly. He just didn’t feel like banter. Surely Violet would be fine?</p><p>“I am,” the Lucario confirmed at last. It was not this trainer’s fault he was worried. It would not kill him to make small talk…despite the voice in his head insisting otherwise. “You may call me Indigo.”</p><p>“My name is Lila Hanada!” The bright girl beamed. “And these are my partners, Delcatty and Riolu! We’re from Hoenn. My Milotic is entering Cerulean’s Beauty of the Deep Pageant in three weeks. I hope it doesn’t get cancelled with the lockdown. With any luck things will get cleared up in time.”</p><p>“Nyaow!” Delcatty purred in greeting, rubbing her head against Indigo’s leg. The small Riolu hid behind Lila’s leg, peering at him dangerously with familiar scarlet eyes. He tried to pretend it wasn’t a shock, seeing a smaller version of his cursed form. He had never actually seen a Riolu before.</p><p>Indigo glanced towards the operating room despite himself.</p><p>Lila frowned. “You’re probably worried about your trainer, huh? What happened to her? But…if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay too.”</p><p>“She was bitten by a sixteen-foot Arbok,” Indigo deadpanned, his eyes flat. Lila flinched. She fed a treat to her Delcatty, her lips pursed.</p><p>“What’s she like?” she asked.</p><p>“Incredible,” Indigo responded immediately. “And stupid. She makes extremely lame puns, and is easily one of the best people I’ve ever met. That girl is destined for greatness, and I intend to help her on her path with all my strength. And she <em>will</em> be fine.”</p><p>“I’m sure she will be,” Lila Hanada assured him, retrieving a silver brush from her bag. She spoke offhand while she worked the soft bristles through her purring Delcatty’s fur. “You know, I heard a rumor about Arbok venom? It makes people fall asleep, so they can be captured by Arbok hunters.”</p><p>“I already know that,” Indigo growled, getting impatient. He stood, pacing back and forth if only to not be sitting still any longer. “Their hoods hypnotize and enthrall, and their eyes gleam like blood to paralyze foes. Arbok’s venom is lethal, but painfully slow.”</p><p>“That’s not all though!” Lila continued, oblivious to his irritation. “Rumor is, victims only<em> look </em>like they’re asleep. They can hear everything around them, through a dream-like haze. Who knows? Maybe your trainer heard all the commotion earlier when you broke into the Pokémon Center.”</p><p>Something cracked in his mind, and Indigo’s head snapped up, a jolting shudder running up his spine.</p><p>Lila’s worried voice came from far away, already unimportant. “Did…I say something wrong? H-Hey!”</p><p>Indigo spun, stalking towards the door, blood roaring past his ears. He pushed it open, snapping the lock without noticing. The darkened halls of the Pokémon Center were empty, and he instinctively turned towards the room which would take him outside.</p><p>Lila was calling after him, frantic. “Y-You can’t go outside! Karo Asuna could be in the area, are you <em>insane</em>?”</p><p>Indigo didn’t even hear her. The only thing he could hear was his own voice, a broken memory.</p><p>
  <em>“I never told you. I’m human, Violet, did you know that?”</em>
</p><p>If she had been able to hear, she knew. He knew then he could never face her if she found out, could <em>never</em> look her in the eye as an equal if she knew the truth!</p><p>If Violet Hikari ever looked at him, and was truly <em>afraid</em> of what she saw…</p><p>
  <em>“I’m the traitor from the tales of Halladen, the boy who tried to save the kingdom, and failed. I’m the reason the King of Fire won.”</em>
</p><p>It would be too much to bear.</p><p>Indigo shook his head in denial, his paws moving faster on the cold white tile until he was running full tilt. The girl from Hoenn called after him through the gaping doorway.</p><p>Indigo ran, as the red light above the operating room flickered to vibrant green.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Indigo Nightwalker had once been a naïve hero who tried to do the right thing: fight the good fight, defeat the bad guys, and never even <em>consider</em> compromising his ideals. He had truly believed in clear-cut right and wrong. He had truly believed there was nothing that could justify darkness.</p><p>Things had been easier back then. Indigo and Riza were ‘good’, and their enemies were ‘evil’. Light and dark were as separate and distinguishable as night and day, and he never once thought of crossing that line.</p><p>Until the day he did.</p><p>Tero Akkarin had made him an offer, one Indigo could not refuse. And even though he’d rebelled in his heart, in the end Indigo was still doing the bidding of his greatest enemy.</p><p>Everything spiraled after that. He told himself he was doing the right thing, and he was never truly on his enemy’s side. Like it made it any better, when the ends began to justify the means. Like it hurt <em>any less</em> when others began to pay the price for his actions. Indigo had clung desperately to the shreds of his humanity, even as they began to fade away into memory.</p><p>Indigo learned too late that evil was born inside the hearts of those doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Darkness didn’t corrupt through brute force, but through little decisions which seemed all too easy to make one by one. Good intentions didn’t matter when people burned because of them.</p><p>There was no warning when your soul turned black.</p><p>The late afternoon sun burned merrily in the pale blue sky above, not quite dispersing the bitter chill of autumn. A breeze played through the changing leaves, scattering little scraps of vibrant red and gold through the air like embers. The cobbled stones were cool under his padded feet, as Indigo paced back and forth, heedless of his surroundings. The city was empty anyways.</p><p>Which left Indigo plenty of time to think, where no one would interrupt him. There was just one question which mattered, and his answer would decide everything.</p><p>If Violet <em>had</em> heard his confession, what exactly was he going to do next?</p><p>The thought of facing her made him want to run and hide. It was cowardly and he knew it. It would be so much easier if things could just remain as they were. Their friendship was new, but it had been forged in fire and blood. They had fought together. Confronted death together. They had each seen what the other was made of, down to the core, and that kind of bond would never go away. It was why they had survived.</p><p>And it was why Indigo could not run away, when a bare month ago he would have done so without hesitation. She deserved better than that. In the very least, he would explain himself.</p><p><em>If</em> she had heard him. There was always the possibility she hadn’t. And anyways, a small voice in his heart whispered, would it really be so terrible to ask for a small piece of happiness, after all he had gone through? Even if it was based on a lie?</p><p>The thought comforted him. There was always the chance things could remain as they were now, without his past ruining their new friendship. And if she <em>hadn’t</em> heard his confession, he saw no reason to tell her anything at all. He would continue to try and break his curse, and be Violet’s friend until he managed. Who knew how long that could take anyways?</p><p>Satisfied with his conclusion, Indigo let out a deep breath, opening his eyes. The barren streets were almost eerie. It was like a ghost town.</p><p>He cursed himself for the thought. Indigo despised ghosts, with only one exception. Surely no self-respecting ghost would be caught in the light of day...</p><p>His large ears pricked at a crash of metal and screeching Spearow, from two blocks away. Indigo padded down the streets, listening intently for further sound, though it was probably nothing. But the city <em>was</em> empty, and any noise was suspect.</p><p>Surely Karo wouldn’t really come <em>here</em>? He was probably halfway around the world by now, Indigo rationalized.</p><p>Another harsh clang greeted the thought, and dust flew from around the corner of an empty bakery, accompanied by a harsh yip of pain.</p><p>His response was immediate. Indigo broke into a run towards the sound, his heart pounding as his black padded paws struck against the pavement. He skidded to a stop at the mouth of the road, every sense on high alert. His brain worked in overdrive. His enemy could be in the area. Karo Asuna would <em>not</em> be getting away from him again! The very thought sent a surge of furious aura crackling down his arms to the spikes jutting from his paws.</p><p>He stopped short, taken aback by what he saw.</p><p>It was not Karo. Nor was the intruder a ghost. And he realized he would prefer a mass-murdering psychopath or a literal spirit of the undead to the horrible sight before his eyes.</p><p>A Lucario stood before him, an exact mirror of himself. If, of course, his nose was roughly twice its normal size, and as lumpy as a squash. A gleeful flock of Spearow were pecking at the Lucario in turns, as the mighty hero of aura fell to one knee dramatically in pretend pain.</p><p>Indigo’s glare could have burned something alive as he recognized the unmistakable aura of a Ditto. Or to be more precise, <em>the</em> Ditto. Who he had never wanted to see again.</p><p>The Ditto caught sight of him mid-act. It seemed to be pantomiming Indigo himself, in a scenario where Indigo was being beaten by a baby Spearow. It blinked once, as if surprised to see him. “Hello,” the Ditto said happily, in <em>his </em>voice, but with the tone of a bubbly schoolgirl.</p><p>Silver aura recolored his scarlet eyes. Power crackled up and down his arms as he snarled, “<em>You</em>!”</p><p>“Not hello?” the Ditto tried again, cocking its head to the side in confusion, as if it had <em>no idea</em> why Indigo was so furious. The Spearow pecking the imposter stopped at Indigo’s appearance, perching on the Ditto/Lucario’s shoulder instead, looking between them quizzically. Fake Indigo stage whispered, “<em>he has anger management issues</em>,” more than loud enough for the real thing to hear.</p><p>Indigo’s fists clenched as his silver eyes shone brighter. “I do <em>not</em> have anger management issues!” he snarled with obvious anger, his voice striking like a whip. “You nearly got Violet killed!”</p><p>The Ditto had been in the Arbok den with them. Violet and Indigo had attempted to sneak through the cavern underneath shed Arbok skins to go undetected. It had nearly worked. Until a certain Ditto had shown up, and decided to wake the entire cavern of sleeping serpents with a childish prank.</p><p>Ditto put one paw to its spiked heart in indignation. “Ditto would never hurt the Great One!” it protested, appalled. “She changed our life! Ditto owes her a debt of gratitude! Ditto had <em>no idea</em> she was in the snake pit with the stupid warrior! Otherwise Ditto would have waited until the Great One was gone to irritate the entertaining and murder-hungry Poison King! Surely it is the stupid warrior’s fault for bringing the Great One into danger, not Ditto’s.”</p><p>“She gave you half a stick of gum and laughed when you did the wave,” Indigo deadpanned. “Is that the debt you are referring to?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“That’s stupid!” Indigo growled immediately, pointing accusingly at the Ditto. “What kind of creature swears a life debt to a human for something like that?”</p><p>The Ditto seemed smug he had gotten a rise out of Indigo. “Stupid warrior is jealous of the strength of our bond. He wouldn’t understand.”</p><p>A surge of irritation rushed through him. Indigo’s eye twitched. “I do not have time for this,” he decided, turning away. “Violet isn’t awake anyhow, so go play elsewhere. And although I understand it may be against your nature, please try not to do anything idiotic in the meantime. In fact, why don’t you go back to Cerulean Cave so I don’t have to see you again?”</p><p>The Ditto’s scarlet eyes narrowed. “Ditto is not stupid. Ditto is a genius.”</p><p>“Ditto is an idiot,” Indigo deadpanned. “And immature, and quite frankly, not as powerful as I am. So why don’t you go play your silly games, and leave those of us with actual problems alone? Besides, Violet needs strong partners to achieve her dream. The Pokémon League is no place for childish pranksters such as yourself.”</p><p>Indigo felt a little vindicated after venting some of his anger on the ridiculous creature. He turned away deliberately, prepared to walk away and never think of the Ditto again.</p><p>Violet’s voice surprised him enough that his head whipped around. The girl he faced was the same as the one who’d first met the Ditto, long before her blue pajamas had been torn to ribbons. “What is the Pokémon League?” Ditto said, in Violet’s unsure voice.</p><p>Indigos eyes narrowed, as his trainer’s visage sent a stab of hurt through his chest. “A competition,” he said, as though the words were pried out of him individually. “To prove a trainer’s skill, and their partners’ power. To even enter, she would need eight gym badges from the top type specialists in all of Kanto. Frankly, I think her Magikarp would be of more use than you. Even if it never evolved.”</p><p>Violet’s mouth dropped open in an ‘O’ of outrage, eyes sparking like live wires. For once, the Ditto was speechless.</p><p>Indigo smirked, before turning on his heel to walk away, feeling a little better than he had before.</p><p>~o~</p><p>A long walk did little to soothe his troubled mind. Eventually, Indigo knew it was time to go back to the Pokémon Center, and face all the uncomfortable possibilities that lay within. He had to return, to find out if Violet had truly heard his dark confession, and if their new friendship was over as abruptly as it’d begun. The thought made each step harder to take, as though he were walking beneath crushing water, but he continued, because he also had to know if she was going to wake up at all.</p><p>He found himself bargaining with the universe, deep within his heart. “<em>Even if it means she will hate me, please, at least let her wake up,” </em>Indigo prayed, half-afraid his wish would come true, and equally terrified it wouldn’t, and that she would be gone forever.</p><p>He had to face the truth. Once and for all.</p><p>But once he re-entered the Pokémon Center, he saw no harm in looking around a little. Surely there was no need for him to return <em>immediately</em> to that cursed waiting room. He was already doing so well just to return at all. He felt he deserved a little more time, since he’d come halfway already.</p><p>Indigo turned abruptly to the opposite wing of the Pokémon Center, telling himself it would be good to know about exits on the other side of the building. Just in case Karo decided to attack, and they needed to know their options for tactical retreats. It was a completely valid excuse, and he was in no way stalling. He held the thought firmly in his mind as he paced down the hallways of the hospital.</p><p>Indigo nodded to two trainers standing watch outside the Pokémon Clinic, one of the few operational sections in the locked-down hospital. News of his arrival had spread quickly, and he wasn’t questioned.</p><p>The humidity hit him first. The entire room smelled of purified water and the bitter tang of salt. Motors hummed and water burbled, creating an odd ambience. Polished white marble tiled the floor interspersed with dull iron drains. Glass tanks of varying shapes and sizes littered the clinic, and the entire back wall was an ultramarine tank soaring up two stories. Pokémon swam within, peering at Indigo with inquisitive aquatic eyes, many of whom he had no names for.</p><p>A girl stood facing the aquarium wall, hands on her hips as she tilted her head back to follow a snowy Dewgong spiraling up on white silk fins. Her long jeans hugged the curves of her legs and flared at the bottoms, fading artfully from deep azure to stormy white, matching her pale, high-collared jacket lined with cobalt blue. Her bright orange hair was fiery against the blues, and cropped short at her chin, where it stuck out rebelliously. She turned and noticed Indigo, arching an eyebrow.</p><p>“I did not mean to intrude,” Indigo explained before she could speak. “I was just…” he trailed off, unsure how to answer. He switched topics instead. “Are you a nurse here?”</p><p>She didn’t truly look like a nurse, but this <em>was</em> an aquatic clinic. A gauze-bound Golduck leaned out of a medically tinted pool, near a Poliwag with an artificial plastic tail. Green lamplight bathed a cluster of jelly-soft Squirtle eggs in a perfectly-round tank. A Corsola colony slept fitfully in a red-taped aquarium, some of their limbs turning white at the edges.</p><p>The girl blinked once, and laughed heartily. “I’m no nurse! The name’s Misty. I’m a Gym Leader here at Cerulean City. I specialize in water types. I’ve gotta say, I heard you could talk, but speaking to a Pokémon face to face is something else! Makes me wonder what my own Pokémon would say if they could speak to me directly, you know?”</p><p>The disgruntled Golduck glared at the redhead. “<em>Her cooking is terrible</em>. <em>Charcoal does not count as ‘flavor’. Tell her to make me a kelp sandwich.</em>”</p><p>“I’m sure they would say you’re a wonderful trainer,” Indigo said hastily, distracting her before she could ask. “I have heard much of the strength of this region’s Gym Leaders. I’m certain you are no exception.”</p><p>“Wow, you’re a flatterer, huh?” Misty laughed with unabashed confidence. “But then again, what’s true is true! I am exceptional after all! Haha!”</p><p>She was not a humble person, Indigo decided.</p><p>Sound caught his attention from a small box propped on a table, playing the same news story from before. Indigo flinched horribly when the TV shifted to Karo’s grim mugshot. Murderous thoughts seeped from his dark-rimmed eyes, beneath oily strands of unkempt hair. A stark contrast to the clean-cut youth who had first appeared in Pewter City.</p><p>“I met him before all this, you know,” Misty confided quietly, as the television showed an aerial clip of the burning police station. “I worked with the police to hunt down a murderous Pokémon. We searched and searched the lake near the crime scenes, since all evidence pointed to a water type luring children near enough to drown them…but every time we thought we’d figured it out, another death occurred. Karo was the one who realized the Pokémon wasn’t in the lake water at all, but hiding deep in the mud <em>beneath</em> it. We captured the Marshtomp less than a day later. Now I wonder if he ended up on Karo’s team, killing without consequence.”</p><p>Indigo’s stomach twisted, and Misty’s eyes went tight with understanding. “There are a lot of scary things in this world,” she admitted, turning back to the television. “And the thing is, they don’t stop existing just because we don’t want to think about them. That’s why the world needs heroes, who can look at all the inconvenient evil, and do something about it. I thought Karo was one of those heroes. I’m sad to realize I was wrong.”</p><p>Indigo was quiet, watching the moving pictures flash across the screen. She was right, in some ways. But looking at all the evil in the world didn’t make you strong. Only broken.</p><p>A voice broke through the crackling static. “<em>-and now, a special report from Cerulean City itself</em>.” Cerulean’s streets fazed into view, the word ‘LIVE’ blinking red in the corner. A professional-looking woman with a tight forest-green bun narrated the report, calm despite the crisis. “<em>My name is Susan Summers, bringing you this report from the city on lockdown. The streets are barren, with most of the population in the tunnels beneath the city. Serial-killer Karo Asuna is still at large, and as yet, we have no information on his whereabouts. All we can do now is wait, and hope the madman is far away from this beautiful paradise. Information has been scarce, but we now bring you a live update from the famed Gym Leader of Cerulean City, Misty…”</em></p><p>Indigo looked sharply at the redhead Gym Leader standing right next to him, who looked equally confused.</p><p>“<em>Thank you, Susan,</em>” an identical girl said on camera, her sea-green eyes solemn. “<em>This tragedy isn’t something this city will easily forget. There’s something important I’d like to say, to all of Kanto, on behalf of my gym.</em>”</p><p>“Oh no,” Indigo breathed, his pupils dilating with realization, as Misty spoke beside him with rising anger.</p><p>“What on <em>earth</em>-!”</p><p>…as the Misty on screen arched her back and let out a terrifically loud fart on live national television.</p><p>You could have heard a pin drop in the sudden silence that ensued.</p><p>“<em>I-I’m sorry, you were saying?”</em> the ever-professional Susan Summers managed, as her cameraman tried desperately to stifle a bout of giggling. The fake Misty took a deep breath, plugged her nose, crossed her eyes, and farted again.</p><p>Susan shut her gaping mouth. “Cut the feed!” she hissed, no doubt confused, the image shaking and going black. Indigo’s eye twitched. He was <em>not</em> confused.</p><p>The Ditto had gone too far this time. He was going to make it wish it had never been born!</p><p>His own rage was considerable, but next to Misty’s, it was a spark compared to a raging inferno. Killing intent surged from her in a white-hot storm so powerful Indigo could <em>see</em> her burning soul even without his aura vision. He took a step back on instinct, quite rationally afraid!</p><p>He would teach the Ditto a lesson, but if Misty caught it first, the consequences could be the stuff of nightmares. Unless he went along, and hopefully dispelled some of her anger.</p><p>“I know that Ditto. I can help,” Indigo said quickly, as she stalked to the door with fire in her eyes and a belt full of powerful Pokémon at her waist. “We are <em>not</em> friends,” Indigo defended hurriedly as her laser-hot glare turned on him. “In fact, we don’t get along at all. But I may be able to assist you in…whatever it is you intend to do,” he finished somewhat lamely.</p><p>“When I’m through with that creature, there’ll be nothing left but a smear on the wall!” Misty snarled like an erupting volcano, death flashing in her sea-glass eyes. “Come if you want, but don’t you <em>dare</em> get in my way!”</p><p>Indigo swallowed and obeyed, as she stomped out the door, her steps slapping against the tile.</p><p>The Ditto had been bad enough contained in a relatively small cave. Indigo shuddered to think of what obnoxious calamities it could accomplish in a rampage across Kanto. It had to be stopped. The situation could get serious.</p><p>It was a crisis after all. Violet would have to wait. Indigo pretended he wasn’t a little relieved, and followed the dangerously angry Gym Leader into the abandoned city.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The All-Powerful Prankster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer:  Your disclaimer is now loading. If it does not appear within thirty seconds, refresh the page, or try another player. Thank you for your patience.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was easy to find the news team. Luckily, they were still in Cerulean’s main plaza, surrounded by bizarre field equipment and black duffel bags. Three people made up the small crew: two cameramen and Susan Summers, a famous reporter who’d taken third in the Pokémon League Conference years earlier, according to Misty. She was armed with six silver poké balls topped with matte black.</p><p>No normal reporter would be safe from Karo, but an elite team could handle media coverage. Indigo had no doubt the unassuming cameraman and the other crimson-haired man present were equally skilled.</p><p>The cameraman caught sight of Misty first, and turned away with muffled laughter. Susan followed his gaze, her piercing mauve eyes narrowing poisonously. Her slender hand moved immediately to her sleek poke balls, her lips curling in a grimace.</p><p>Misty’s hands went to her poké balls as well. “Wait,” Indigo interrupted, putting himself between the two furious, elite women with his arms outstretched. “There is no need for violence. This is all a misunderstanding.”</p><p>“I’m not here for you,” Misty snarled, her eyes a sea of molten green. “Let’s get right into it. That was not me. It was a Ditto with a particularly childish sense of humor, and I am <em>not</em> in the mood for a longer explanation!”</p><p>“You expect us to believe that?” Susan demanded incredulously. “This is <em>just</em> like when I won a Cascade Badge from your older sister, you tomboyish, <em>irksome</em>-!”</p><p>“I. Was. Nine!” Misty ground out, her calloused hands clenched into fists. “Are you seriously comparing <em>one</em> whoopee cushion to farting on national television in the wake of a tragedy?”</p><p>“So you admit that <em>was</em> you!”</p><p>“Enough!” Indigo shouted, aura making his voice boom. The two women went silent, glaring as if they could burn the other to a crisp with a look alone. He took advantage of the lull. “First. Misty is telling the truth. There truly is a Ditto causing havoc. I can verify I was with the real thing the whole time your interview was being played.”</p><p>“Ha!” Misty declared, pointing an arm triumphantly at the reporter, who frowned, even as her hand fell further away from her poké balls.</p><p>“You,” Susan Summers said in a low melodic voice, appraising the battle-scarred Lucario before her. “Are you the same talking Lucario who defeated Karo?”</p><p>“No, it was one of the <em>other</em> talking Lucario in the area,” Indigo said dryly. “Of course it was me. Violet is here too, if you were wondering. Karo broke into her house after escaping with his Alakazam, and sent us both into Cerulean Cave, with the intent to cause our brutal and lengthy deaths. We survived. Which is a long story, involving a shockingly courageous Magikarp, donuts, and a Primeape clan that worships pizza, none of which is important right now. We need to explain on your ‘television’ that Misty was impersonated, and soon.”</p><p>“Say I believe you two,” Susan said, her intelligent eyes shifting between them speculatively. “Say there <em>is</em> a Ditto. It wouldn’t be enough to explain the situation. The whole world was watching. Unless the Ditto is caught on camera in <em>indisputable proof</em> it was impersonating Misty, people will draw their own conclusions. The hurt and anger this region is feeling is going to focus on Misty. That level of public backlash could destroy her career permanently.”</p><p>“I have a plan,” Misty snarled. “It involves catching the Ditto, and beating it to a pulp. Any questions?”</p><p>“A brutish and badly thought out plan, which wouldn’t solve anything but letting Kanto see you beat up a helpless Pokémon on live television, minutes after your last ‘incident’,” the reporter pointed out dryly, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “If this Ditto does exist…you would need to get it on camera, transforming either into you, or from you into something else. Unless that happens, no one will believe your story.”</p><p>Misty seemed to rein in her anger a little. “Yeah, alright. We can split up, and-”</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere,” the reporter interrupted, “as I still have a story to run. I can’t be going off on a wild tangent in the middle of my job. Which is why I didn’t chase the <em>“Ditto”</em> after it sprinted off.”</p><p>“We’ll find the Ditto,” Indigo broke in, a plan forming. “It lives for pranks. If we let it slip that the news is looking for Misty to get another statement, it won’t be able to resist turning into her again, and coming right back here. After that, we just need to get it to turn into something else on camera, and the problem will be solved. This isn’t just for Misty. The Ditto made an absolute mockery of a serious situation, and <em>that</em> cannot go unpunished.”</p><p>Susan weighed her options. “Alright,” she finally consented. “For Kanto, I’ll at least stay in the area. But I have a condition for my cooperation. I want an exclusive statement from the Lucario, whether you two succeed in tricking the Ditto or not. Is that agreeable?”</p><p>“Yes!” Misty said exuberantly, giving the reporter a cheeky thumbs up with a saucy grin. “We’ll do it!”</p><p>“Glad to see I have so much say in the matter,” Indigo grumbled, crossing his arms. He’d gotten pulled into a truly ridiculous situation. Surely Violet would be-</p><p>He broke off the thought hurriedly, shaking his head to clear it.</p><p><em>I won’t worry about her until this is resolved</em>, Indigo swore. He took a calming breath, and centered himself. “Here’s what we need to do.”</p><p>~o~</p><p>Indigo crouched on a high rooftop, casting his senses out over the empty city. Cold grey stone chilled the pads of his paws, his large ears tuned to every noise, every sigh of wind, and every soft burble of water in range of his enhanced hearing. He paused only momentarily before leaping over a yawning gap, landing in a flawless roll on the next rooftop, before leaping to the next, and the next after that. He had begun on the outskirts of the city, working his way inwards in a spiral, always listening, perfectly in tune with the song of silence that hung over Cerulean like a silver cloud.</p><p>Their final plan had been simple.</p><p>Susan Summers begrudgingly agreed to record a fake newscast, stating her interest in speaking to ‘Misty’ once more. Her cameraman, Tevin, claimed he could rig the clip to play in Cerulean City only using the Pokémon Center’s network key. No one else would see the fake newscast, and the Ditto would almost certainly be watching the aftermath of its prank. It wouldn’t be able to resist their bait!</p><p>Indigo’s job was easy. Find the Ditto, and ‘accidentally’ let it slip where the camera crew was going to be. After that, all he had to do was ‘try to stop the Ditto from going’, which would ensure it went right away…and without expecting a trap.</p><p>The real Misty would be waiting out of sight until the Ditto arrived. She would appear with her imposter on camera, proving there was a double, and force it to transform in battle. Her reputation would be saved, and everything would end happily.</p><p>And while it wasn’t <em>completely</em> necessary for him to pummel the Ditto to a pulp, it would certainly help sell the act that he didn’t want the Ditto to go back on camera. Really, it would be for the greater good. He was doing the world a favor.</p><p>He had one advantage in his search. The city was abandoned, as empty as it ever would be, making it far easier to find one errant prankster.</p><p>He <em>still</em> couldn’t properly see, couldn’t cast his mental gaze out to the unknown horizon. But Indigo Nightwalker could sense aura, to an extent. One wisp of familiarity was all it would take, and he would know his enemy, no matter what form it took.</p><p>It was a game now, one Indigo was determined to win. The Ditto couldn’t hide from him!</p><p>He stilled his mind and ran towards a wall at full speed, his paws leaving the ground in a running jump, hitting the vertical surface only to push off with aura-enhanced force. The Lucario backflipped in midair, catching the stone ledge of a particularly tall building with one paw, continuing the momentum to flip himself over the edge onto the roof. He landed half-crouched, now two stories higher than the last rooftop.</p><p>Ah, the perks of transformation. Secret ninja powers. All for the low, low cost of a time-travel exile.</p><p>A blast of sound hit him from behind, swelling over Cerulean City like bass thunder. The wall of noise thrummed in his very bones, pulsing like a heartbeat. He turned to face the source of the music, a bare quarter mile from his perch.</p><p>A white marble building with a vast stained-glass dome met his eyes, each fragment of glass subtly shifting from sea green to the deepest navy blues at the base like wet glass seashells. A stylized raindrop was embossed in the marble, above the gold inlaid words ‘CERULEAN GYM’.</p><p>Speakers on the sides of the gym blared sound with no words, music he <em>felt</em> rather than heard. The fountains in front spun and danced in rhythm, brightly colored lights making the water jets shine from within despite the light of day.</p><p>It seemed the Ditto wasn’t trying to hide after all. In fact, it appeared to be laying a challenge at his feet.</p><p>Indigo gave a feral grin, sliding down a drainpipe with one spiked paw. In moments he stood before the arched doors of the famed Cerulean Gym, prepared for battle with no trainer at his side.</p><p>He pushed open the doors and strode inside, casting his aura senses out in a sphere around him. </p><p>The doors slammed shut behind him and Indigo whirled, too late. The speakers outside continued to blare, but a voice spoke over the intercoms.</p><p>“<em>Hello there!</em>” Misty’s voice crowed. Indigo didn’t pause, following the faint wisp of the Ditto’s aura through the wide halls. “<em>You may be wondering why I’ve called you here today! The answer is…no reason in particular! Hahaha! I can do anything, and you can’t stop me!”</em></p><p>“We’ll see about that,” Indigo murmured, though he knew the Ditto couldn’t hear. Aquarium walls lined the hallways, the entire building doubling as a diverse aquatic habitat. Coral reefs the size of houses swayed with fantastic neon plants, as schools of bright Pokémon he had no name for darted through the artificial tides. A silken pink creature passed over his head, the ends of her brilliant fins fading to deep purple.</p><p>The lights flicked on automatically as he walked down the mysterious oceanic halls, lighting the proper path ahead. All the while, the fake Misty spoke on the intercom.</p><p>“<em>The more I think about it, the more your bad attitude bothers me. Can’t you just lighten up a little? It wouldn’t hurt to smile once in a while, tell a good pun…you know, the <strong>essentials</strong> of life! The Great One deserves better than you. So I’ve decided to give the Great One what she desires most! A lifetime supply of this amazing thing called ‘pasta’, and as many gym badges as she wants! I found roughly two hundred in this gym. I’m sure she will love them.”</em></p><p>The ornate double doors in front of him were far too fancy to be anything but the battle stadium’s entrance. Crafted of smoky blue glass, etched with strange runes and gilded in bronze, they spoke of majesty and ancient mystery. A burst of salty humidity hit him as he stepped beyond the glass doors into Cerulean Stadium. White bleachers lined a watery battlefield dotted with flat concrete islands. The entire back wall was the biggest aquarium yet, housing monstrous ocean Pokémon whose size defied imagination. Their shadows rippled across the otherworldly room, giving the impression of stepping beneath the fathomless seas.</p><p>“<em>Cause you see,”</em> Misty said, grinning from a throne overlooking the stadium, a small microphone clipped to her jaw. “<em>I’m absolutely brilliant! An awesomely incredible mastermind! And you can’t stop me!”</em></p><p>She leapt off the platform’s high dive with easy abandon, completely fearless of the vast drop between her and the deep waters below, in a move that made even Indigo’s heart stutter.</p><p>Misty transformed in the midst of a flip, exploding into a winged Dragonite barrel-rolling towards Indigo with a Hyper Beam erupting from his jaws. The solar-gold beam struck the waters in a steamy hiss, the surface boiling instantly as the light raked across it.</p><p>Indigo leapt to the right, landing on a concrete island with one paw, pushing himself into the air a moment later; the Hyper Beam passed beneath him, the heat so intense his bones ached. Singed fur and the stink of plasma tainted the air.</p><p>“I, for one, am sick of fighting Dragonite,” he declared fervently, firing a Dragon Pulse in the next breath. Dragonite couldn’t move after using Hyper Beam, and this one was no exception. He hovered in midair, frozen…</p><p>…and melted down into a long-eared creature with a bubble-topped tail. Dragon Pulse scattered across that blue hide like water, doing no damage whatsoever. “Azumarill!” Ditto declared, stuck with the voice of whatever it copied.</p><p>
  <em>What‽</em>
</p><p>Indigo dodged Azumarill’s Hydro Pump, firing another Dragon Pulse on reflex. Again, the blow did nothing. As if it had some kind of dragon immunity, something he had never heard of.</p><p>And while Dragonite had to wait after using Hyper Beam, apparently a Ditto could simply turn into something else to avoid lag!</p><p>Indigo gritted his sharp fangs as he landed in a controlled skid on another concrete island. The Ditto turned into Misty once more, specifically to laugh at him, pulling down her lower eyelid and sticking out her tongue.</p><p>“Do you even know why I’m here?” Indigo asked crossly. He hadn’t gotten a chance to set the trap yet. “Or care for that matter?”</p><p>The Ditto thought about it. “No,” it said.</p><p>Murderous irritation surged through him, and Indigo fought down a snarl. He could fight monsters and demons with perfect sincerity, matching their dark will with his own resolve, and call it ‘battle’. Fighting against this Ditto felt more like arguing with a toddler about why they needed to wear pants. “I’m here,” Indigo ground out, trying to sound sincere, “to stop you from going back on live television and making a fool of yourself wearing Misty’s face. If you want to cause more trouble, you’ll have to go through me!”</p><p>“What is a television?” Ditto deadpanned blankly. “And a Misty?”</p><p>Speaking to the Ditto was bad for Indigo’s blood pressure. “You don’t even know‽” he demanded, resisting the urge to break something. “You ignorant, <em>childish</em> creature, you truly don’t realize what you’ve done? Misty is the woman you’re transformed into at this very moment! And television is a way to broadcast a scene to many people at once! <em>Everyone</em> knows that!”</p><p>He hadn’t known about television until Violet explained it to him, a fact he chose not to mention.</p><p>“Oh!” the Ditto exclaimed, hitting its temple with one palm. “The magic-box-thing! Why did the stupid warrior not just <em>say</em> so? That is where Ditto saw Misty’s image in the first place, earlier today!”</p><p>And the transformed Gym Leader grinned with an evil, mischievous glint in her eyes. When the Ditto spoke again, it slipped back into the cadence of ‘Misty’, referring to itself as ‘I’ instead of its natural ‘Ditto’. “I think I’ll have some more fun. And didn’t you say…you’d try to stop me?”</p><p>“I’m not going to <em>try</em> to stop you,” Indigo promised, feeling a surge of success as the Ditto took the bait completely. “I will. You’ll never make it to the main square of Cerulean City in front of the Gyarados Statue!”</p><p>Since he had to make his effort look realistic anyways…surely no one would complain if he gave this fight his all?</p><p>Indigo dashed forward with both arms stretched out behind him, silver-blue aura swirling around his body, leaping easily between dotting islands. Before reaching the Ditto, Indigo leapt high, adding the force of his jump to the strike. A war cry tore from his throat, a Force Palm slamming towards ‘Misty’-</p><p>-and hit cold mist as the Ditto broke apart into vapor, which he passed through harmlessly.</p><p>It could turn into non-living forms as well? By the time he completed the thought, a newly formed Machoke punched his spine like a meteor, slamming Indigo into the concrete with such force it cracked. His ribs might have done the same, steel bones or not! He tasted blood. Indigo rolled to the side more on instinct than anything else, barely avoiding a crushing double-footed kick from the grey behemoth that crushed the broken island to rubble.</p><p>He regained a small foothold the instant before the island collapsed, pushing off in the nick of time to scramble up to another island. Indigo whirled back to face his opponent, a stormy blue vortex howling from his gaping mouth. It blew the Machoke out of the air like a doll, smashing it into the boiling depths.</p><p>A bone-chilling roar boomed over the stadium, somehow deep and high pitched all at once, as a serpent burst from the water in a spray of superheated mist. A mirror of Cerulean Cave’s Gyarados Lord shrieked a challenge, his shadow blocking the bright lights above.</p><p>“That is incredibly unfair,” Indigo muttered under his breath, settling into a fighting stance, as his heart pounded harder in his chest and adrenaline spiked through his veins. The massive sea serpent struck with gaping jaws, saliva hanging in strands between gleaming white fangs longer than Indigo’s whole body.</p><p>He lowered his center of gravity, slipping his left foot back with his right arm extended outwards. And took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.</p><p>The Gyarados Lord’s reverberating roar slammed over him like death and rage incarnate, and Indigo bounded <em>forward</em>, leaping into the cavernous mouth without a second thought. The monster’s jaws snapped shut with finality, plunging him into complete darkness.</p><p>Indigo didn’t need to see. He didn’t need to aim. He gathered midnight power to his fists, slamming a Dark Pulse directly downwards. The blow connected, a shockwave rippling through the serpent’s tender internal flesh. He slapped his paws tight over his ears as the Gyarados bellowed, the very air vibrating with the terrible noise, a <em>physical agony</em> to his enhanced hearing! He screamed along with the Gyarados; he only knew because his throat was raw. Any sound he made was drowned out entirely.</p><p>A second Dark Pulse exploded out in the midst of his cry, void energy ricocheting around the muscled chamber. The hot air and darkness vanished at once, and suddenly Indigo landed back first in the still-hot gym pool, as the Ditto transformed…</p><p>…into a Raichu, silhouetted by the lights above. Its long tail whipped through the air, the lightning-bolt tip crackling yellow. Deadly electricity boomed from above, piercing the water with greenish light, long webs of lightning darting across the surface.</p><p>The Raichu dropped, flipping in midair as it transformed back into Violet. She landed on a concrete island in a crouch, watching as the surface of the pool became still once more.</p><p>A long moment later, Indigo pulled himself over an island’s edge, soaking wet, burned, and breathing heavily.</p><p>He’d avoided the worst of the damage from the Thunder with a Protect bubble. He had also badly underestimated his opponent. He took a moment to catch his breath, pulling himself to his knees with effort, lightning still crackling in little bursts between his metal spikes and fur.</p><p>Two hits. He had only taken <em>two</em> direct hits, and already he had been pushed this far. Indigo struggled to regain his fighting spirit, and reminded himself of the indisputable fact he’d been trying to forget. The Ditto, though a stupid, childish prankster, was still from Cerulean Cave. And there were no weak Pokémon in Cerulean Cave.</p><p>But his job wasn’t to win. It was to make it seem like he’d <em>tried</em> to win. His mission wasn’t over. Everything was going well.</p><p>“Want to see something ugly?” the Ditto said, and transformed into Indigo.</p><p>And anyways, he thought grimly, regaining his stance. He wasn’t finished yet!</p><p>He met the Ditto head on with a shining Force Palm, striking with all his might. His double mirrored the move, hitting his wrist sideways to deflect the blow, but Indigo was already countering with a double-footed kick, striking at his opponent’s jaw brace on a single paw. He pushed off in the same motion, flipping backwards to avoid a careening Dragon Pulse, rolling to the side to fire scarlet-edged darkness from his fists.</p><p>They traded blows, equally matched, and Indigo’s brain went into overdrive.</p><p><em>Think</em>. It must have a weakness.</p><p>The Ditto had so far transformed into Pokémon from Cerulean Cave, Violet and himself, and Misty. It had admitted to seeing Misty on a television in the gym. It had probably seen an Azumarill somewhere in the city. Since the Ditto had never been outside Cerulean Cave before today, it wasn’t likely to know many other forms.</p><p><em>Think.</em> There had also been Dragonite, and the scarlet-haired man from the Arbok den.</p><p>The fake Lucario used a small burst of aura to push high off the ground, increasing its physical strength with willpower the same way Indigo had done throughout the fight, and he finally had an idea.</p><p>It did have a weakness.</p><p>Because the only Lucario it had ever seen…was <em>himself</em>!</p><p>Indigo let out a battle cry, shining silver as he gathered aura. His aura sensors quivered and rose, as Indigo’s eyes slipped closed. He acted quickly, not allowing himself to think about the move, because if he did-</p><p>Indigo shouted with raw agony as the familiar searing heat erupted just behind his eyes, as he tried to activate his aura vision.</p><p>The Ditto shouted too, voice rough with surprise as it copied his move.</p><p>He could barely move, barely <em>think</em> through the pain.</p><p>But then, that had been the plan. Indigo dashed forward, forcing himself to move through the searing pain, to <em>fight</em>.</p><p>Because even if they looked the same, Indigo’s will could not be copied by a mere imposter. Indigo and injury were old friends. He had experienced pain, over and over and over again, and he <em>knew</em> how to work through it. The Ditto did not.</p><p>Before it could recover, before <em>he</em> had fully recovered, Indigo slapped both palms over the Ditto’s ears with all his power, blowing out its sensitive eardrums while simultaneously landing <em>two </em>Force Palms on the shocked imposter.</p><p>The Ditto shrieked with many voices at once, transforming wildly between shapes to escape the pain, shifting erratically from Indigo to Misty to Rhydon in the space of a second; he saw a Raichu, a Marowak, a Kingler, and for a brief instant, a bone-armored Arbok that sent chills down his spine. Indigo stumbled back, not wanting to be hit by any of the new transformations, trying to calm his hammering heart as he prepared to face whatever was coming for him next…</p><p>The agonized Ditto’s cries deepened into a draconic bellow as it melted into a Dragonite once more, turning to fire a gleaming Hyper Beam directly at the looming aquarium lining the back wall. Cracks shattered in thick lines as the immense internal pressure made the wall groan. The fissures widened, streams of water hissing from the corners.</p><p>Indigo’s eye had time to twitch once before the glass exploded, and the seas flooded the stadium in a surging crash. At once he was underwater, buffeted like a helpless doll, blind and deaf to all but the roaring of the ocean’s wrath and cold blue darkness.</p><p>His lungs burned. Indigo fought to orient himself as the tidal force of the water ebbed, kicking desperately towards the faint, filtered light from above. He almost didn’t make it, darkness creeping around his vision…</p><p>His head broke the surface and Indigo gasped for air.</p><p>The gyms doors were apparently designed to withstand water pressure. The flood was contained to the stadium, with barely twenty feet between the water and the previously high ceiling. Sea water still gushed from the highest cracks, slowing as the water level evened out. The power flickered out with a crack, as an emergency system shut down all electricity flow, plunging the room into total darkness.</p><p>And as Indigo floated alone in the deep, dark water, he became aware of hundreds of gleaming eyes watching him from just above the water’s surface.</p><p>Hundreds of aquatic Pokémon who apparently blamed <em>him</em> for their sudden displacement. A chill pit fell in his stomach.</p><p>Would he be able to pick out the Ditto’s aura in such a crowd? Could he even beat all the sea creatures?</p><p>Rumbles and echoing growls filled the dark gym, and with no other options, Indigo prepared to fight.</p><p>~o~</p><p>Nearly an hour later, the battered Lucario walked the empty streets, soaking wet and limping. He ached. The healers had done an excellent job with his wounds from Cerulean Cave, but Indigo doubted they intended he battle a monster again <em>immediately</em>. He couldn’t guess the time, although the searing sun was still high in the sky, warm against his chilled fur.</p><p>He felt like he’d been trodden upon by a herd of wild Snorlax. Was herd the right word? Maybe a ‘slumber’ of wild Snorlax, or perhaps a ‘laze’?</p><p>Oh, who cared? He stalked down the street, glaring daggers at Pidgey that dared to sing in his presence. He hadn’t <em>won</em> against the horde, but had knocked out enough to convince the others to leave him be. Eventually, he’d escaped from a high window.</p><p>And somewhere in the middle of everything, he’d lost the Ditto.</p><p>He supposed he’d better check to see if their plan had worked, although things were likely over by now. Indigo sighed, turning towards the main plaza, thinking of nothing but a comfortable place to sleep for an eternity or two. He heard Misty’s voice ahead, talking animatedly with the cameraman.</p><p>He rounded the corner, and froze.</p><p>“Hey, glad you finally showed up!” Tevin said, eating a whole cherry pie with a fork as though they <em>weren’t</em> in a lockdown. “We were getting worried. Any luck flushing out that Ditto?”</p><p>Indigo couldn’t speak, eyes frozen wide as he stared at Misty’s satisfied smile. Tevin continued obliviously. “Yeah, we heard that crack from the gym earlier. Misty went to investigate, but I guess it turned out to be nothing, huh? We’ve been waiting, but it doesn’t look like the Ditto is going to show up for the trap.”</p><p>“You,” Indigo breathed. “But how did you…”</p><p>“Wow, I guess that Ditto outsmarted us!” Misty sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “It must be pretty clever to pull that off, don’t you think?”</p><p>The Ditto’s aura was as unmistakable as it was infuriating; somehow, it <em>replaced</em> Misty when she returned to the gym! And without the real Misty to appear with the fake, their plan was ruined.</p><p>Unless he could <em>make</em> the Ditto transform on his own!</p><p>Indigo fought down a snarl, preparing to fight, but the fake Gym Leader tapped the poké balls at her waist. And Indigo froze, furiously thinking through his options.</p><p>How had Misty let that thing steal her Pokémon? He pushed down his annoyance, remembering Brock’s strength, even with weak partners. He was exhausted. His limbs shook, and Indigo knew down to his core he could not defeat Misty’s entire team in his present state. It wouldn’t have to transform.</p><p>He lowered his half-raised arm. He didn’t know what to do. Useless! The Ditto would never fall for their trick now that it knew about it. Indigo <em>didn’t know what to do</em>!</p><p>“Why don’t you go search for the Ditto?” Misty suggested, guessing his thoughts with a coy smile. “I’ll stay here. For as long as I please.”</p><p>Did he have a choice? He spun stiffly, completely and utterly out of ideas. What <em>could</em> he do, in a situation like this?</p><p>But the Ditto had a taste for pranks, a camera crew, and a live national audience. Indigo shuddered to think of what it would do. He had to try <em>something</em>.</p><p>He stopped in his tracks, as the only answer there was flared as obvious as daylight. He closed his eyes, fighting against it, because he wasn’t <em>ready</em>, and there was no other way.</p><p>But he couldn’t do this on his own.</p><p>And if anyone knew how to stop a rampaging Ditto, it was Violet Hikari.</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. A 'Pun'ishing Defeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer: You will find intense battles, terrible puns, and fantastic Magikarp within this story. In other stories, you might find something else, like bears. Why risk it?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The steady beep of the monitor finally woke her.</p><p>It took a long time. Grey static buzzed over her dreams like a broken TV, while invisible pressure crushed her tired limbs down, down, down. But slowly, repetitive beeping cut through the fog, becoming clearer until Violet recognized her heartbeat. Her eyes cracked open; her breathing echoed strangely in a misty plastic mask. Her heart beat faster, the monitor quipping along frantically, as memories crashed out of the darkness of her unconscious.</p><p>Memories of Cerulean Cave, of Indigo, coupled with the dawning realization that she was alive and well.</p><p>The pain was gone. Maybe she really <em>had </em>died. Violet mused on this clichéd thought for a while, calming her breathing until her heartbeat slowed a bit, and gave movement a try. Unfamiliar clothing and plastic tubes tangled with her tightly bandaged arms, but she succeeded on dragging herself to a seat, every limb shaking with the effort.</p><p>Indescribably weak and tired, but not dead. Violet slipped the soft plastic mask over her tangled hair, and took a moment just to breathe. Delicious numbness hid her wounds beneath a haze of painkillers, but couldn’t hide her parched throat. But still she sighed with contentment, happiness coursing through her like its own drug. Alive, and without any kind of crisis to deal with, all Violet intended to do was rest. For the next eternity or two. She was sure Indigo would agree.</p><p>“Violet!” Indigo opened the door to her emergency care room, soaking wet and with what looked like a piece of kelp plastered to one ear. “There is trouble.”</p><p>Violet gave him a disparaging look. Of course there was. He began pacing before she could speak, his words fast and clipped. He avoided her eyes as if ashamed.</p><p>“I am…glad that you are awake. Very glad. But before you say anything, there is…I mean…” he broke off, frustrated, finally looking at her with tortured eyes. “I need your help. Please, whatever you think of me, set it aside for a little while, just until we can resolve this situation. If you never want to see me afterwards, I’ll understand, I swear, just please…can we not speak of Cerulean Cave until a little later?”</p><p>Violet blinked. “Okay?”</p><p>Relief crashed over his face, and he let out a breath as though the world had fallen from his shoulders. “Thank you,” he said roughly. “There is a powerful and possibly unstoppable Ditto causing havoc, with consequences that could destroy the career of a Gym Leader, and have repercussions across all of Kanto…no, across the world. It must be stopped. I shall give you a moment to dress.”</p><p>Violet’s eye twitched. Her head hurt. She blinked twice, fighting back a yawn. “Ask someone else.”</p><p>He narrowed his eyes with that familiar single-minded conviction. “I need <em>you</em>,” he insisted stubbornly. “No one else will suffice.”</p><p>Violet groaned. “Water,” she insisted, her tone brooking no argument. “Then we’ll see.”</p><p>Indigo disappeared around the corner, and Violet sat, blinking sleepily as she came to grips with reality. She was still sitting half-awake in her room when Indigo returned with a cold glass. She raised the offering to her cracked lips, swallowing with care. Her throat hurt. She finished the glass, feeling a bit more human, and took a deep breath. Indigo waited, practically vibrating with impatience.</p><p>She sighed. “I’ll need a change of clothes,” she consented, and her Lucario’s eyes flashed with victory. He was already half out the door when she called out, “Nothing pink! Or <em>stolen</em>!” Where was he intending to get clothes anyways?</p><p>She didn’t even know where they were. It was disorienting. She pressed a hand to her forehead, wondering how she could convince Indigo she wasn’t the right person for the job – whatever it was they were doing! She was toying with ideas of mutiny when he returned, nearly ten minutes later, a modest set of clothing folded in his arms.</p><p>“I borrowed these from a girl I met earlier,” Indigo explained, looking at the clothing as though unsure about its suitability. “She appears to be a similar size, and assured me such attire is…normal, for a trainer. Violet?” He caught the expression on her face, and set the clothes down on the edge of the bed. He stood near her, at once unsure. “I’m sorry…I want nothing more than to allow you to recover, I swear. I realize it isn’t easy to act when your body wants to rest.” Recollection lit across his face, and he produced a small bag hurriedly. “I also brought these.”</p><p>Her Lucario produced Mr. Fin’s master ball, a hairbrush, and a fresh sandwich wrapped in plastic. There were more small items in the bag, including a mirror and basic cosmetic supplies. It appeared to be a trainer’s travel kit.</p><p>“Your fish is alright,” he explained quickly, before she could speak. “I thought you would want to know, even if it is a useless insult to humanity. And I just thought, with your arm still healing, perhaps it would be difficult to brush your hair, and that perhaps I could assist in this one small matter…if you don’t mind that is. We do have a <em>little </em>time, at least.”</p><p>Her expression softened. “Ok,” she murmured. “What’s going on?”</p><p>Indigo filled her in with clipped sentences while she ate the soft white sandwich, teasing the tangles out of her long hair while he spoke. He was shockingly good at it; he worked his way up from the tips of her midnight locks, holding it with one paw while he brushed with the other. She wondered where on earth a Lucario had learned to brush long hair, and chalked it up to one of the many mysteries that seemed to surround Indigo.</p><p>By the time he finished with his story, she was feeling considerably better, if a little lightheaded.</p><p>She washed her face in the connecting bathroom, changing from her hospital gown into the clothes Indigo borrowed. Her new attire was simple; a black tee shirt worn under a midnight-blue leather jacket, and a pair of matching black pants with decorative blue circles lining her left leg from ankle to waist. It was a little loose, but wasn’t a bad fit. She was grateful, since it was easier to put on. The jacket especially was just relaxed enough not to chafe her bandaged arms, though she still moved with care.</p><p>Violet surveyed her appearance in the mirror above the sink. Her face was paler than usual save for the rosy flush from the towel, making her purple eyes fever bright. Violet reached up, peeling the snowy bandage off her dark eyebrow, revealing the slash from the Golbat’s fang which just missed her eye.</p><p>She pulled her silken hair out from under her borrowed jacket, letting it fall around her shoulders, brushing her long side-swept bangs to the right. Violet barely recognized herself. The girl in the mirror stood tall, with new strength in her shoulders, a level and unyielding gaze, and a slashing cut through one eyebrow.</p><p>And despite her tiredness, in fresh clothing, and with some food and water in her, Violet felt like she could actually do something to help. She took a deep breath to steady herself, promising herself she would rest as soon as possible, and went out to face Indigo.</p><p>He had been right about one thing. She <em>did</em> know what to do. The Ditto had a fatal weakness, and she could win. For Misty, for Kanto, and for Indigo, she could <em>win</em>.</p><p>“I’ve got an idea,” Violet said, walking with growing confidence as her plan took shape. “For it to work, we need to challenge ‘Misty’ to a battle, on live television.” Indigo blinked twice, caught off guard. And Violet smiled, as though she had a joke she wasn’t sharing, her mood lightening abruptly. “Here’s what we need to do!”</p><p>~o~</p><p>The all-seeing sun sank down the vast blue sky by the time they arrived. Violet stepped out first, walking with unspoken strength in her step and steel in her eyes, as the slight breeze danced through her pitch-black hair, Indigo a few steps behind. Susan Summers’ eyes flickered with recognition, followed closely by confusion; the question on her breath was cut off by a quick shake of Indigo’s head. She fell silent, watching with a piercing gaze as the jigsaw pieces placed themselves in her mind.</p><p>She looked at ‘Misty’, quick realization spreading across her features. With a quick gesture to her assistant, the camera began to record, trained on the unfolding situation.</p><p>“I’m here for a battle,” Violet declared, meeting the imposter-Misty’s gaze without hesitation. “My name is Violet Hikari. And I’m here to defeat you.” Her voice was steady and her gaze clear, but Indigo’s eyes saw right through her act, catching the tremor in her hands. She was barefoot – they’d forgotten about shoes. Indigo had carried her this far, letting his weakened trainer reserve her strength for this one act. She was playing her part well.</p><p>But still. He knew she’d need rest before long. Everything was riding on this. They only had one shot left. Despite proving herself in Cerulean Cave, part of him wondered if she could do this. If her theory was wrong…</p><p>Well. Everything would be much, much worse if she was wrong! They’d be ruined right alongside Misty.</p><p>“If it’s gym badges you want, I could just…” Misty began, her hand reaching into her waist pouch automatically, but Violet cut her off steadily.</p><p>“Without a battle, gym badges aren’t worth anything. It isn’t the item that has value, but the hard work and skill that goes into earning them. Wouldn’t you agree?”</p><p>“Alright!” Misty grinned like a child, pleasantly surprised. “Let’s play! I have to warn you though, I’m pretty incredible! Beating me won’t be easy!”</p><p>The Ditto sounded exactly like Misty, and Indigo doubted it was an act. He hadn’t realized how similar their arrogance was until now. He made a mental note to never mention the similarity to Misty, in case she killed him with her bare hands.</p><p>“I can do it!” Violet smiled, sincerity radiating from her countenance like a sunny beacon. “Because I have a powerful and dependable partner on my side, I can do anything! Mr. Fin! This is all up to you!”</p><p>She threw her master ball in a long arc in the air, releasing her Magikarp in a golden sunburst. Mr. Fin posed grandly in midair, fins outstretched and eyes closed, arching his body fabulously in the light…before smacking the ground, where he flopped uselessly. “Karp, Karp, Magikarp!”</p><p>“What’s the matter?” Violet grinned at Misty’s surprise. “Do you think this strategy is a little ‘fishy’? I think this will balance the ‘scales’! You know what they say, ‘Karp-ay’ Diem!”</p><p>Far from annoyed, Misty looked decidedly starstruck; Indigo’s eye twitched with irritation, resisting the urge to groan. He could feel Susan’s glare burning the back of his neck, as if to ask what exactly he thought this would accomplish, and avoided her gaze in favor of watching the battle at hand.</p><p>
  <em>“So what exactly <strong>is</strong> the plan?” Indigo had asked en route, carrying Violet while dashing through Cerulean. She’d practiced with Mr. Fin in the Pokémon Center for a while, but forbidden him from watching. Which could not bode well. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She’d explained in a quick voice, focusing on stilling the tremors in her arms. “Ditto can take the form and abilities of anything they remember. Most Ditto have terrible memories, and can only change into something directly in front of them. This Ditto has demonstrated the ability to change into many different forms, making it a serious threat. But all Ditto have one, inescapable weakness.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Which is?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Violet smiled. “They lose their transformation abilities…when they laugh! We have to make the Ditto laugh so hard it can’t hold its transformation anymore! If we do that, the battle will be ours!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I see,” Indigo said thoughtfully. Such a strategy had never occurred to him before. “In that case, I will…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He broke off, seeing the severe doubt on her face. “I can be funny!” he insisted, and her skepticism grew. “I am known to be quite hilarious.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That may be the funniest thing you’ve ever said,” Violet retorted, and he fought back a growl. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“And I suppose you think puns are funny?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Puns are hilarious! You’ll see! This will definitely work!” </em>
</p><p>Fake-Misty released a darkly contrasting Starmie with a gleaming scarlet core. A geyser rocketed from the tip of its star-point arms, and iron clouds boiled in the previously clear sky. Rain cascaded in buckets, washing the pavement grey and turning the gutters to streams.</p><p>Violet had incredible faith in her starter, the ‘all-powerful’ Mr. Fin. And perhaps, Indigo thought, as the Magikarp prepared to fight, this battle <em>would</em> be funny. To him, at least. It would be gratifying to see the Magikarp lose.</p><p>“Attack, Starmie!” Misty ordered with a manic smile, the rain soaking her fiery hair unable to extinguish the battle-fever in her sea-green eyes. Her Starmie whirled like a throwing star, spinning towards Mr. Fin in a deadly, bladed attack. The Magikarp flopped happily in the new puddles on the concrete.</p><p>Violet smiled despite her exhaustion, her heart thrilling on the edges of a battlefield. “Splash, Mr. Fin! Let’s show them what we’re made of!”</p><p>Mr. Fin slapped his white tail down, his Splash propelled him high into the rain-drenched sky, just avoiding the Starmie’s whirling Rapid Spin. Mr. Fin arced high, posing at the apex with his fins stretched out like wings; he flipped in midair twice as he descended, smacking the staring Starmie’s gemstone core with a crack.</p><p>Violet posed equally dramatically, extending one arm in a flourish as lightning boomed above. “Now, ‘Fin-ish’ him! Tackle attack!”</p><p>“It knows more than one move? I’m in shock,” Indigo said, as the Magikarp tackled the Starmie, which seemed to be honestly confused as to why it was battling a Magikarp in the first place. Violet grinned.</p><p>“Do you know why Mr. Fin knows two moves? It’s because I caught him with a ‘tackle’ box, haha! It was a ‘reel’ challenge, and I’m not ‘fishing’ for compliments. As soon as I saw him, I was ‘hooked’!”</p><p>Indigo’s glare was dry as sand, but Misty’s lips twitched, holding back giggles.</p><p><em>It was working</em>!</p><p>Mr. Fin Splashed out of the way of a Hydro Pump, skipping on the watery field like a stone, taking the opportunity for a different pose between each skip like a fishy supermodel. He pouted his pink fishy mouth with sultry eyes, posed with one white fin on his hip, and the other on his head, then flicked his tail out like he just didn’t care.</p><p>“Y-You won’t defeat me so easily!” Misty insisted, her lips quivering as laughter bubbled up in her throat. “Starmie, what are you doing? Defeat them!”</p><p>Starmie seemed to have realized Misty wasn’t quite right, and didn’t move, peering sharply at the imposter. Violet took advantage of the lull for more pun-based attacks.</p><p>“Don’t you mean, ‘water’ you doing? I ‘sea’ what you did there! Mr. Fin, do the wave!” Violet ordered, and her Magikarp wiggled as best a Magikarp could, looking utterly ridiculous with crossed eyes and waggling golden whiskers.</p><p>Misty laughed, and her form wavered a bit. She caught herself instantly, fists clenched tight. “Starmie, use Hydro Pump, now!” she commanded, and the Starmie seemed to snap out of its confusion.</p><p>“And now, for the coup de grace,” Violet murmured, as the cyclone geyser blasted closer. Her Magikarp dodged with another powerful Splash, arcing into the Gyarados fountain, just as planned-</p><p>Violet waited for the perfect moment, and shouted, “Mr. Fin, give us your best impression of Indigo in battle!”</p><p>Steely determination and resolve exploded from the Magikarp’s countenance like red flames. He burst out of the fountain in a powerful arc-</p><p>-and hit the concrete of the square, flopping around in useless circles as though brain damaged, before dramatically pretending to die.</p><p>Misty busted up laughing, gales and gales of it that had her hunched over with glee. “T-That was perfect! He looks exactly like that, hahahahaha!”</p><p>The hysterical girl melted down into a pink blob quaking with high-pitched giggles, completely helpless. Violet’s smile turned soft. She walked over to the Ditto, picking it up carefully before turning to face the rolling camera. Her honest grace almost masked the Ditto’s wicked glee. “This Ditto was the Misty you all saw earlier today. I’d like to apologize for its actions on air. Please know that the real Misty had nothing to do with its shenanigans. This little guy has no trainer to teach it right from wrong, but I’m sure it never would have wanted to cause such a scene.”</p><p>Indigo doubted that was true with every fiber of his being.</p><p>“And do you have a statement for us regarding the capture and subsequent escape of Karo Asuna?” Susan Summers asked opportunistically, stretching out her microphone with professional detachment. “You are Violet Hikari?”</p><p>Violet’s eyes flashed. “I am. Karo Asuna is a monster, make no mistake of that. But he isn’t invincible. He was exposed through the combined efforts of ordinary trainers and Pokémon, like Terry Slade, and my own partner, Indigo. He may be out there right now…but he <em>will</em> be caught again! Because Karo now fights alone. But all of Kanto stands as one!”</p><p>~o~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Beauty of the Deep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Disclaimer 2: Revenge of the Disclaimer<br/>In the many decades since the last disclaimer, the author has come to grips with the fact that she does not own this franchise. But now, a new disclaimer has arrived, claiming to be the son of the previous disclaimer! Stay tuned, for the exciting conclusion…</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>~o~</strong>
</p><p>Later, the Elite Four of Kanto spearheaded by their fearless Champion, Lance, swept the area and the lockdown was ended. Even the psychics couldn’t find him, as if he were shielded somehow. Karo had vanished like magic.</p><p>Any other day, Indigo would have gone to see the famed leaders of the country for himself, but he found he simply didn’t care. He had more important things to worry about; mainly his recovering trainer Violet, who he’d decided required snacks and attention in order to make a full recovery.</p><p>Misty was found tied up in a closet, furious but unharmed. The Ditto seemed strangely subdued, and vanished one night. He didn’t understand why, but Violet only smiled sadly, and said something about feeling worthy to stand in a trainer’s world. Indigo was constantly on edge, half-expecting it to pop out from every corner with a bad pun, or another disaster in the making.</p><p>But, he mused, as he snuck into the Pokémon Center through a high window, it wasn’t all bad. It had been two blissfully boring weeks since those events after all. Indigo found he was enjoying the break.</p><p>The Pokémon Center had a decent security system, complete with robotic cameras that swiveled in the halls. Indigo crouched in darkness with a long white box, peering out from behind a corner to watch the turning camera while counting the beats between each rotation. He narrowed his eyes, sweat beading in his fur, legs tense.</p><p>When the camera began turning away the Lucario dashed forward, running as low to the ground as he could manage. He tucked his ears down as an afterthought, skidding <em>beneath</em> the camera and out of sight, where he caught his breath, planning his next move.</p><p>When the camera scanned back Indigo darted out, ducking into the hall branching to the left bare instants before the rotation completed. He checked inside the box: undamaged goods. His held breath released in a rush.</p><p>His own wounds were considerably better. Even his aura vision was recovering, albeit slowly. More than that, he was <em>stronger</em> than he’d ever been. Cerulean Cave had tempered his strength to shocking new heights; he could feel it in every step he took…even if most of their time there had been spent running from monsters and trying not to die.</p><p>At this rate, he would complete his quest in no time at all.</p><p>He could see Riza again.</p><p>His ears pricked at the sound of footsteps, and he cursed his distraction. His mission wasn’t yet complete! Indigo buried the longing in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he sprang into action, vanishing just in the nick of time. Two girls walked down the hall, chatting with a nurse. They passed right by Indigo, hiding in the dark sliver between the vending machine and the wall, his box resting unnoticed on top of the machine.</p><p>Within moments of their passing he’d slipped free with the box, sprinting soundlessly away like a shinobi warrior. The nurse glanced back, seeing nothing but an empty hallway behind her.</p><p>His goal in sight, Indigo put on a final burst of speed, skidding to a stop in front of the final guardian. The round-bellied Chansey glared; tension sparked between the two despite Indigo’s carefully neutral expression. Wordlessly, he retrieved a golden dessert from his small bag, the plastic wrapper crinkling merrily. The Chansey opened the Twinkie, sniffing as if verifying its authenticity, and stepped aside to devour her accepted bribe.</p><p>A thrill of victory sparked through his aura pathways. Indigo stepped into the guarded room with his contraband, closing the glazed oak door behind him. “Hello, Violet,” he greeted.</p><p>The rest had done wonders for his odd friend as well. She was still pale, but not deathly so, with roses beneath her intelligent eyes. Her dark curtain of hair spilled loose across her shoulders, as straight and sleek as water, hiding the remaining bandaging up her neck and shoulder. She sat cross legged on her bed in soft new pajamas, a pencil in hand over a half-done drawing.</p><p>Physically, she was well, but even mentally she seemed different than when they’d met. A little stronger, a little more expressive and open – subtle changes that hinted at who she could one day be. She beamed on seeing him. “Fancy running into you here,” she joked, tucking her hair behind an ear. “Any chance I’m being set free?”</p><p>“Not yet,” he admitted. At least she’d been upgraded to a proper room, rather than the internal hospital care unit. Cerulean’s Pokémon Center was far more multi-functional than Pewter’s, including hotel space, and medical centers for humans, Pokémon, and specialized aquatic zones. And although she’d recovered well, the nurses insisted she stay on the premises until her healing was completed. They had some insane notion that she’d immediately get into trouble on leaving their care, which Indigo found unreasonable. After all, what could possibly go wrong now?</p><p>“I brought you a present,” Indigo announced, stepping forward with his prize. “An illegal present. Which the nurses would kill me for giving you.” He opened the fragile cardboard box to reveal his gift.</p><p>Violet’s eyes sparkled. “Donuts! For me? Thank you!” she sang, clapping her hands together like a child.</p><p>Indigo grinned at her obvious pleasure. He took a seat on the bed while she took a huge bite of powdery goodness. He’d earned the money for his present by doing odd jobs the past few days. The almighty Nurse Joy had expressly forbidden her patient to eat junk food until she was completely recovered, forcing Indigo to drastic measures. It had been completely worth it. He watched her eat, completely content with the world.</p><p>His gaze caught the sketchbook lying on the plush quilt. Smooth shading and bold lines brought the careful drawing to life despite her simple grey pencil. “Violet, this is,” he began, genuinely amazed despite himself, “…truly terrible. I’ve never seen anything so bad in my life. Is that a Pidgey, or a loaf of bread with wings? Honestly, woman.”</p><p>She snatched the sketchbook away with an exasperated huff. “It is a Ho-oh,” she said, enunciating every word precisely. “The Rainbow Pokémon. And I think it’s beautiful. If I had colored pencils you’d see it.”</p><p>“That is a shame,” Indigo sighed. “I’ve always wanted to see a loaf of rainbow bread flying through the sky. Some dreams are never meant to be.”</p><p>Violet’s pencil bounced off the side of his head. Indigo grinned. He leaned back while Violet launched into a happy explanation of Ho-oh’s abilities, and the lore surrounding it.</p><p>“It’s said that Ho-oh only appears to the pure of heart, and that it lives at the end of a vast rainbow. It embodies life and reincarnation, and has been known to resurrect those who died unfairly. Ho-oh is served by its three guardian beasts, Raikou, Suicune, and Entei. Rumor has it that the beasts were once Vaporeon, Flareon, and Jolteon, before being killed in the burning Brass Tower in Johto. Ho-oh brought them back to life as guardian legendaries. That was a little over 150 years ago. The funny thing is, the legendary beasts have been noted in history as far back as a thousand years! A lot of people think Ho-oh has created the three guardians from fallen Pokémon many times in the past, with an unknown purpose.”</p><p>Indigo knew more of Entei than she did, but he kept his silence. Once upon a time, he’d tried to control the monster using an ancient artifact, all to gain the power he needed most at the time. But Entei’s will was too strong, a raging volcano of violent hatred he’d been helpless to fight. Unleashing its power on the world was his greatest failing! Such a fool he’d been…</p><p>It felt odd, remembering his past war while sitting on a cozy bed, eating donuts with a girl from the peaceful future. Making jokes, having a friend, being <em>happy</em>…it almost seemed wrong. Like he wasn’t <em>supposed</em> to be happy. Perhaps he didn’t deserve such a thing.</p><p>Violet finished off her donut, practically glowing with bliss. He stared at her in thoughtful silence, his expression unreadable.</p><p>It was like she didn’t have a care in the world. Violet didn’t seem to remember anything at all.</p><p>His paw clenched. At first, he’d been so relieved. Then…he’d found himself wishing she <em>had</em> heard his confession. At least that way, he’d know for certain how she’d react. Instead, he was caught in limbo, always wondering, and too cowardly to speak up again.</p><p>“Hey, earth to Indigo!”</p><p>He blinked, focusing on her once more. “Sorry,” he replied automatically. “You were saying?”</p><p>“Zoned out again,” Violet scolded. “You’ve been doing that a lot lately. Is something on your mind?”</p><p>“Nothing. I’ve just been distracted,” the Lucario lied easily, and Violet shrugged, choosing her third donut.</p><p>Perhaps he wanted to tell her because he <em>knew</em> she would turn away from him forever. Perhaps he deserved to be punished, to live unhappily while under his curse. It was a <em>curse</em> after all. But there he was, too afraid to make that choice, too cowardly to accept his well-deserved punishment, clinging to a single human connection as though it were a lifeline.</p><p>He would never actually do it. Indigo unclenched his paw, looking out the glass window into the fading orange sunlight.</p><p>“The nurses say we can head out soon. My arms and shoulder are much better, and the venom’s narcoleptic side effects are finally gone. And your aura vision is healing up nicely, thanks to all those extra energy-control exercises! I think we should train against locals to prepare for Misty’s gym. Water battles are difficult without experience. Maybe you could learn from-”</p><p>“I’ve been lying to you from day one,” Indigo interrupted, not looking at her when he spoke. Her words trailed off, the thought dying on her lips. He could feel the weight of her stare.</p><p>He stood, pacing furiously at the foot of the large bed with rough movements, unable to look at her. He desperately wanted to stop talking, but his mouth moved without permission from his brain, spilling words out from the darkest shadows of his heart.</p><p>“I’m not who you think I am, Violet. You think I’m this brave, heroic creature, but I’m not. I’m a liar, and a coward, a weak fool who has done nothing but make mistakes from the moment he was born. And I’ve been lying to you. I’m human, or I was. I realize that doesn’t make sense…but it’s true! I was human, and a fool, the traitor from that story about Halladen, the one who ruined everything. I never thought that things would…I <em>tried</em>, but I…”</p><p>He found he could not continue, and broke off, as what he’d just done began to sink in. Familiar fear paralyzed his soul. His words began again, desperately filling the silence before <em>she</em> could speak. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you. Please know it was never my intention to deceive you, and that I understand…whatever you think of me, I <em>understand</em>, there won’t be any hard feelings, or…I just thought you should <em>know</em>. I died in the past, but that wasn’t punishment enough for my betrayal. I was cursed to lose my humanity, exiled to a future I did not understand…but now, after meeting you, it’s stopped feeling like a curse, and more like a second chance…but still I-!”</p><p>“Indigo.”</p><p>Her voice caught him, stilling the raging sea of his heart before he drowned in his desperate confessions, and he couldn’t speak through the sudden tightness in his throat. The boy-turned-Lucario looked at her finally, absolute terror and hopelessness in his eyes as he waited for the justice he knew he deserved.</p><p>“Don’t look at me,” she whispered with perfect sincerity and finality, and Indigo flinched, unable to hide how much that <em>hurt</em>-</p><p>“…with that expression on your face,” Violet finished, pain lancing through her silvery voice. Before he could process her meaning, she unfolded her legs to stand and pulled him into a wordless hug.</p><p>Tears gathered at the corners of his inhuman eyes, but still he couldn’t believe. <em>She didn’t understand</em>! Indigo stood frozen like a statue, but with every second the ice encasing his heart cracked a little more, his terrible fears and guilt hissing away like steam. He’d forgotten the warmth of human contact. And for someone who had been in pain for so very long, it was too much. Shuddering as if in agony, his rigid posture melted, reminding him he’d never lost the ability to truly feel after all, only forgotten! He returned the hug with a fierceness that shocked even him, eliciting a squeak from Violet. Knowing he could never be forgiven. But desperately wishing he’d earned some small happiness, from trying so hard.</p><p>His tears never fell, locked behind numb emotional scars from a long trauma which couldn’t be healed so quickly. Dry shuddering sobs wracked his body, and Violet’s warm aura turned to cold shock as she came to realize the depth of his pain. He gritted his teeth and pulled away abruptly, lest she worry too much. “Sorry,” he apologized roughly, hardly knowing what he was apologizing for. “I just…”</p><p>A strange fire burned in her eyes. “Eat,” she commanded, holding out a donut with cold intensity. Striking fear chilled the core of her aura, though he didn’t understand why. Indigo accepted the donut automatically, biting down without question. The buttery crumbled sweetness was almost a physical shock, bringing his senses firmly back to reality. She’d given him her favorite kind. Her rigid fear relaxed only when he’d eaten the whole thing, like balm had been spread over her soul. He tried not to notice her aura, giving her privacy she didn’t know was compromised.</p><p>But still. Wasn’t this all a little too easy? Who would accept such an explanation so completely and suddenly? “You knew,” he realized out loud, too tired to fuss over the revelation. Releasing his emotions had left him hollow in a strangely electric way. “You heard in Cerulean Cave. And said nothing.”</p><p>Her flush confirmed his fears. Violet twirled her hair between her fingers, looking sidelong at the floor. “I…not really?” Her pink face grew red at his increasingly impatient stare. She fumbled over her words, regressing to that crippling shyness he’d thought they were past. “The venom dreams were hazy and unreal. I-I remember snippets, a-and small sensations, but I thought your confession was a dream. Honestly, I barely recalled any of it until I’d had a few days of real rest.” She went silent, chewing on her lower lip. “But I couldn’t seem to forget. I’d wake with that conversation in my mind. And it fit. You, I mean. Slowly, I got used to the idea. But if you’d never told me? It would have remained a silent fiction, just a possibility, until more pieces started to support that thesis.”</p><p>Like a dream? Possible, he conceded. Her heart <em>had</em> stopped briefly, but hearing for a short time beyond death was a haunting reality. But waking with that exact conversation on her mind was strange. He toyed with the idea of Mewtwo interfering slightly to guide his destiny, but abandoned the theory. It didn’t matter, and he couldn’t prove anything anyhow.</p><p>“What comes next?”</p><p>She beamed, suddenly energetic as if she’d been waiting for him to ask. “Now we break your curse! I’ve been reading up on reality-warping curses, and I’ve gotten a lot of promising info. First, the conditions to break the curse must be possible, or it couldn’t have been cast in the first place. Second, your soul is linked to whatever cursed you, so they can hear and witness your actions firsthand. I’ve read about body-changing and time-changing curses, but there’s never been a recorded case of <em>both</em>. That means your curse is insanely powerful, but it should still follow the basic rules, so it can’t be impossible…”</p><p>Violet stopped, catching the expression on his face. “Indigo?” she asked, leaning forward. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>It was hard to speak. “You would help me?” he asked quietly, a flicker of hope flaring to life behind layers of worn apathy. He’d prepared himself for rejection, agony, his just punishment…</p><p>But Indigo found he hadn’t been prepared for kindness.</p><p>“Of course!” she said, as if it were never a question. “You’re trapped far away from the people you love, right? I’ll do whatever I can to help you get back to them. But I <em>am</em> curious about Halladen. Some fairy tales survived the centuries, but strangely, Halladen <em>didn’t</em>. No one is sure where in the world it was…or what its ultimate fate was. There’s just a blank spot in history. The last thing anyone knows online is that story, of the traitor knight.”</p><p>He’d wondered what the consequences of changing the past could be, but this? “Mewtwo spoke of destiny. It claimed time and space were bent around my curse…and that this future could be destroyed should I fail.”</p><p>Silence tolled like a deathly herald. “Right,” Violet managed, recovering first, her lips white. “That’s a good reason to help you, then. That means success will likely create an alternate timeline branching from this one…this future would still be ‘destroyed’ in the case of success altering history, after all.” Indigo dropped his head to his paws, breathing raggedly. “Hey,” Violet soothed, patting his shoulder a little awkwardly. “It will be alright. You’ll break this curse, and set everything right. I’m sure it wasn’t <em>all</em> your fault. Everyone makes mistakes. You’re a good person, even if you made some bad calls.”</p><p>His heart clenched, and Indigo stood again, shaking his head while he paced restlessly. “No. You don’t understand…how bad it was. No storybook could have all the details! I did things that I can’t forgive, that <em>no one</em> could forgive. I’m no hero, Violet.”</p><p>“I don’t believe that,” she refuted. “Not for one second.”</p><p>“You should.”</p><p>“So, tell me,” Violet said simply, as if it were that easy. “It doesn’t have to be all at once. Little by little, tell me your story, without leaving out anything. And let me decide, ok?”</p><p>He stopped pacing, thinking it over.</p><p>He’d already come this far. And talking with Violet even during this conversation had helped him immensely. Perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as he feared…he could always start before the nightmares began, and work his way from there…</p><p>“Alright,” he consented finally. “I’ll tell you. After we leave Cerulean…I’ll share my story. From the beginning. If you’d like.” <em>And if you react badly to the minor details in the beginning, I’ll know not to tell you the end.</em></p><p>“Alright,” she agreed, seeming to understand his need for delay. “Let’s get healed up, and rest for a while. There’s no rush. Besides…we’ve got a gym battle to get ready for!”</p><p>~o~</p><p>The crowd roared with wild applause in the circular stadium, their cheers nearly drowning out the lively narrator. Cerulean City was famous for its gym, but its aquatic performance shows were legendary, attracting tourists and competitors from across the entire world. It was easy to see why.</p><p>The circular stadium was at the center of Cerulean Gym, beneath the glass dome stained with the prismatic hues of the ocean. High bleachers packed with a tapestry of people lined every wall. Camera-drones dipped and soared around the aquatic stage, broadcasting close-ups of the action on enormous widescreen monitors for all to see. Children practically bounced in their seats, grasping little souvenir flags of their favorite water Pokémon in cotton-candy-stained fingers, wearing headbands of fins above cute scaly face paint.</p><p>The four seating sections were separated by glittering waterfalls sliding down brightly patterned mosaics, cascading into a turquoise ring encircling the performance aquarium. Goldeen splashed in the moat, fighting over brown food pellets dropped by kids above, courtesy of small quarter dispensers. The performance aquarium itself soared high in the center of the stadium, completely aboveground to show off every detail of the underwater performances to the adoring crowd.</p><p>“Welcome one, welcome all…to Cerulean City’s world famous event, the Beauty of the Deep Pageant!” the beautiful blonde announcer exclaimed, standing without fear on another hovering platform in a seafoam ballgown. “We’re back from commercial after a stunning performance by Miss Lila Hanada, and her Milotic! Lila hails from the exotic Hoenn region, in the wetland near Fortree City. She and Milotic grew up together, dreaming of stardom…and they’ve certainly earned their place in the stars today! Let’s give it up for their beautiful combo, making its debut in our very own Cerulean City!”</p><p>Cheers crashed over the stage like a breaking wave, and Lila practically shone with bliss as she waved to cameras next to her gorgeous dark-eyed Milotic. The sleek sea serpent vanished into dazzling light, which reflected off the silver ribbons braided into Lila’s powder-blue hair. The metal platform she stood on descended down the outside of the tank, and the floodlights illuminating the stage plunged off, curious spotlights scanning over the spectators.</p><p>“We’ve officially entered the midpoint in our competition! Our judges are tallying the scores for round two, so hang tight! In the meantime, we’ve prepared some halftime entertainment, so sit back and enjoy the show!”</p><p>A performer in a silly suit bowed theatrically to the crowd, mimicked by his partner Dewgong. He whirled to look at the Dewgong, but she turned away, pretending she hadn’t done anything, and laughter filtered from the grandstands. Their comedy act kept the audience entertained, especially once the Dewgong stole her trainer’s red clown nose and began pretending to be a person.</p><p>Not everyone was so at ease. Violet gripped the pleats in her dress, hidden in the shadowed contestant tunnel. Her ebony hair was down, as usual, but today it was interspersed with soft waves and decorated with a sapphire ribbon clip. Her ankle-length white dress fit tight from her capped sleeves to her waist, where it flared out dramatically into a cut fitting for a contest, decorated with a bold blue accent from waist to hem. A long sash fit seamlessly around her waist, trailing nearly to her ankles, its long edges fading from sky blue to navy. She even wore a little makeup, which couldn’t hide her flaming cheeks. Long white gloves completed her look, and helped hide her shaking hands.</p><p>“I can’t do this,” she whispered with horror. “I can’t believe I agreed to it. This…is all your fault!”</p><p>“Don’t be a baby,” Indigo growled at her side, his arms folded as he watched the show with rapt attention. “You were on television a few weeks ago, and never once complained. This is no different.”</p><p>“Last time I was drugged up on painkillers! And I was so exhausted, I never even <em>thought</em> about the fact that I was on TV!” Violet protested, her frantic voice rising. “Indigo, I don’t <em>do</em> things like this! I’m definitely going to die! Or faint! Or faint into the water and <em>drown</em>!”</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous,” Indigo snorted. “If you fall into the water, I’ll rescue you. And laugh. From here until eternity. Actually, that’s not a bad plan…”</p><p>“You aren’t helping!” Violet wailed, covering her face with her gloved hands. A hush fell over the audience as the comedy performers took their final bows. The blonde announcer spoke again.</p><p>“And now, we have a special treat for you all! Give a warm welcome to Cerulean’s strongest water trainer, and your Gym Leader, Misty!” Three spotlights flared, focusing on the rising elevator carrying Misty to the top. The confident redhead waved cheekily to her adoring fans. “Misty is our pride and joy, the jewel of Cerulean City! And we’ve decided to honor the trainer who restored her reputation to its former glory by airing her gym battle as part two of our halftime show! You all know her, you’ve seen her fantastically funny Magikarp - please welcome, Miss Violet Hikari!”</p><p>“Come on,” Indigo insisted, pushing her blushing self out beyond the tunnel. She nearly fell, catching herself just in the nick of time. She walked to the metal platform, flushing furiously, as the crowd applauded their entrance, Indigo just behind her. He stood by her side as the metal platform hummed, bringing them dizzyingly high into the air. It reached a stop at the edge of the lapping water, and Misty smirked from the other side of the pool with confidently crossed arms, dressed only in a modest white and blue swimsuit beneath her long-sleeved jacket.</p><p>There didn’t seem to be enough air in the dizzying heights atop the aquarium. Weakness trembled in her knees, and her breaths came quick and shallow. She was suddenly sure, with a terrible, irrational certainty, that she wouldn’t be able to speak at all!</p><p>“Focus, Violet,” Indigo growled, low enough only she could hear. “The battle is all that matters. Forget everything else, and <em>focus</em>!”</p><p>In a flash, a ghost of the past spoke through her memories, almost real as he rested his hands on her shoulders from behind. <em>“In battle, for just a few minutes, all your problems will melt away. Let the world fade…there is nothing except this moment. When your heart beats in time with your partner’s, nothing else matters anymore</em>…”</p><p>She swallowed past the lump in her throat.</p><p>“Miss Hikari just began her official Pokémon Journey, and has collected one gym badge from Pewter City. Per official Pokémon League rules, Misty must use just three Pokémon, ranging in level from 15 to 25! Miss Hikari has no restrictions on level, and can use up to six Pokémon, though neither trainer will be permitted the use of healing items. A ten-minute timer will be set for the match. With no further ado, let the battle begin!”</p><p>The surface of the pool surged as trapdoors at the bottom of the tank sprang open, releasing buoyant islands made of high-density foam, which burst above the water and settled, swaying slightly in place. The water-slick islands weren’t anchored down, and would move during the battle; a perfect hazard for a water gym, while still providing space for other types of Pokémon to stand on. Harsh artificial light cut their battlefield off from the darkened grandstands, until Violet could almost forget they were there.</p><p>“Let’s have a good match!” Misty called out, shifting one foot forward as she threw a net ball above the roiling waters. A Surskit burst from the light, overlaid with a flickering image of a web, flipping twice before landing on the surface, swaying back and forth as if ice skating.</p><p>“<em>Just breathe</em>,” Daniel whispered.</p><p>Violet took a deep breath. Her brilliant eyes snapped open, and the ghost of her best friend faded away. “Fight, Indigo!” she shouted, stretching out one arm as her Lucario leapt onto the nearest island, crackling with pale aura. A small shockwave burst from his fur as he straightened, silver gleaming from his eyes. The crowd roared in response. Showoff.</p><p>Surskit dashed forward the instant the buzzer blared, skimming on top of the water in an unreal blur, feinting a frontal attack only to leap back just ahead of Indigo’s instinctive Dark Pulse. Iridescent bubbles broke through the water spray and exploded against his crossed arms. <em>So fast</em>! Before she could speak, Indigo shook off the weak blow. He braced his feet on the slick, swaying island, his howling Dragon Pulse chasing the speedy Surskit in a sweeping wave across the water, bare inches behind the pale blur. His island rocked and swayed from the constant recoil force.</p><p>Information flooded her brain in consecutive streams of thoughts and predictions, most of it too long to say aloud before it could matter. <em>One blow will finish things- Surskit are weak, but the terrain advantage could - Swift Swim possible, watch for Rain Dance – setup for future Pokémon? That’s what I’d do – Power Split, worst case scenario – for now…</em></p><p>“Disrupt the water to prevent an approach!” she called, her mind awhirl and the crowd quite forgotten, barely pausing to see if he followed her orders. “Control the currents and she can’t dodge-!”</p><p>“Got it!” Indigo barked, a cyclone ripping from his throat into the pristine waters until they broke apart into turbulent waves, sending the Surskit flying-</p><p>“Not so easily!” Misty swore, as Surskit righted herself to ride the waves. “Surskit, Agility! Lay down cover fire with Bubble Beam!”</p><p>Surskit spun as she careened across the surface like a top, engulfed in white light, the crazy waves actually aiding her setup as Indigo tried to aim his counterattack against her unpredictable direction changes. In seconds she broke free, zooming like the speed of thought around the far side of the tank with staccato bursts of deadly glassy bubbles honing towards Indigo with varying speeds. He slammed bubbles away with Force Palms, little misty explosions throwing a rainbow haze in the harsh stadium lights. “From the left-!” Violet called, and his head snapped around, firing a Dragon Pulse into the thicker stream of bubbles he’d almost missed in the confusion.</p><p>Vapor exploded out from the collision. Indigo’s shrieking Dragon Pulse hit the water in a concussive burst, the speedy Surskit long out of the line of fire, and he cursed. The energy explosion whipped Violet’s hair back in a cold spray. Her eyes darted through the mist, but where…<em>there</em>! “From behind!”</p><p>Before the words were out of her mouth, Indigo let out a harsh cry, his back arching as golden power tore from his chest, merging with a much-smaller twin sphere from the Surskit in midair. The combined spheres split into two equal portions, shooting back into both competitors.</p><p>Her heart clenched. “<em>Power Split</em>!” the announcer gushed, fighting to be heard over the crowd. “This move is a favorite of low-level gym teams! It cripples the opponent’s attacks, forcing a more equal stage in a system which favors the challenger during the earliest badges. How will this challenger cope?”</p><p>Violet gritted her teeth, barely noticing the waves crashing over her laced white boots. This complicated things. “Indigo, she’ll use Mud Shot next, don’t let it hit you even if you take damage dodging!”</p><p>Misty’s mouth fell in an ‘O’, her words faltering.</p><p>Then her grin stretched wide, electric adrenaline making her eyes flash like sea glass. “Let’s see you dodge, then!” she shouted, and globs of mud flew from Surskit’s tiny mouth, plopping against the islands as Indigo twisted away. His paw slipped twice on the slick foam, but before he fell a Dragon Pulse fired at nothing, shooting his entire island away.</p><p>
  <em>She knows I only have two Pokémon – crippling my main attacker for her other Pokémon to finish off – first attack, and then speed cuts – Surskit has equal power to Indigo now, ground super effective - THINK!</em>
</p><p>The Surskit danced on the agitated waves, ducking between and behind concealing water swells as she spat mud bullets at every opening. Indigo left an aura trail as he leapt between islands, his condensed Dark Pulses erupting from both his paws and feet as he flipped and spun. A glancing blow hit the Surskit, who cried out but didn’t faint, hiding behind a foam island for cover-</p><p>Violet’s breath caught, realization flashing across Indigo’s eyes in the same moment. “The islands-”</p><p>“I’ve got it!” He landed in a low crouch, firing a Dragon Pulse just above the water. Striking a foam island at an angle, rather than aiming at the Surskit, sending it skipping across the surface unerringly towards their hidden enemy. The speedy Surskit skated away in the only direction she could, blocked by another island and the glass wall, where a perfectly timed burst of darkness finally knocked her into senseless oblivion.</p><p>The audience waited with a breathless lull until the Surskit collapsed – and broke into a roar. “Return, Surskit!” Misty called below the applause, her jaw mic transmitting her voice. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Our combo is just beginning to shine!”</p><p>She held out her hand, dropping a dive ball directly into the water. Light flashed, and a dark shape snaked free, hidden by the glittering spotlights on the surface. The camera-drones stayed above, not revealing the mystery foe on the monitors.</p><p>Violet bit her lip, her whirring thoughts grinding to a halt. “Can you sense its species?” she called out a bit desperately, because she couldn’t plan against a nameless shadow. Indigo’s negative response broke off as his island wobbled violently. He leapt off just before it flipped, firing a Dragon Pulse at the streaking shadow in midair – the water absorbed the blow, sending a geyser plume spewing into the air, and the shadow knocked away the island Indigo was about to land on. He crashed through the surface, aura light strobing from the underwater struggle as Violet called his name…</p><p>An eternity later, Indigo surfaced with a cry, a gleaming wet Huntail clamped onto his arm with thick stubby fangs. Luminous spots lined the writhing serpent’s sleek blue skin, strikingly similar to his flat, unblinking eyes. The Lucario’s raw scream hurt just to hear, momentarily paralyzed with pain.</p><p>“Super Fang!” the announcer gasped out. “This tricky move halves the opponent’s HP, regardless of defense. While rare for Huntail, this move can be taught by a skilled trainer. As expected of Misty!”</p><p>The Huntail unclamped his jaws at Misty’s order, slipping away from Indigo’s slamming palm to escape underwater like oiled lightning, only to circle around and drag the Lucario under by one foot. Bubbles trailed in their wake, the battle moving halfway down the tank in half-a-dozen seconds.</p><p>Her heart in her throat, all Violet could do was watch the plasma monitors displaying the underwater struggle. Indigo kicked and punched at the shadowy wraith until his foot was free, a concussive Dark Pulse temporarily driving his foe back. Eerie bioluminescence flared as the Huntail unhinged his cavernous jaws, a nail-scraping Screech ringing outwards; Indigo slammed his paws over his ears, but gritted his teeth in sheer annoyance – a Dragon Pulse whirled directly downwards, taking the rest of Indigo’s air with it. He shot towards the surface, the Huntail streaking after him.</p><p>He wouldn’t make it, Violet realized with dull horror. Indigo seemed to recognize this too, readying a Force Palm with a defiant scowl, but at once the Huntail snaked a different direction, slamming his back with a painful Sucker Punch. Super Fang bared, but Indigo was faster this time, his Force Palm ricocheting off the slimy hide. Huntail wailed with an eerie undulating howl, and scarlet aura exploded from his luminous spots, reflecting red in Indigo’s eyes.</p><p>Outrage twisted the Lucario’s lips into a snarl, sheer hate burning in his crackling aura and clenched fists, but his accusing crimson eyes couldn’t quite follow the Huntail, hazing in and out of focus…</p><p>“Swagger lands!” the announcer crowed, a breathless hush falling over the crowd. “Confused and underwater, facing an opponent using Sucker Punch to hit first, and unable to hear his trainer’s orders! Is this the end for this brave Lucario?”</p><p>Violet didn’t miss a beat. “Return, Indigo!” she called out, returning Indigo from underwater the moment the Huntail finally unblocked the path between them. She switched master balls. “Mr. Fin, time to shine!”</p><p>The crowd oohed as the monitors zoomed on Mr. Fin, and the pretty blonde announcer spoke again. “Now folks, we’ve seen some incredible water Pokémon in this event, including a shiny Greninja, a rare Alolan Primarina, and a dazzling array of the most beautiful aquatic talents this world has to offer! After all that, a Magikarp may seem like a letdown…”</p><p>Mr. Fin’s reddish scales glinted as he basked in the spotlight’s glow, splashing into the water with flippant grace, to his fan’s laughing delight. “But look at how unbelievably gorgeous that Magikarp is! I’ve never seen anything like it! Wow!”</p><p>Mr. Fin had trained in a waterfall basin until he could swim halfway up the Dragon’s Ascent falls; a still aquarium was <em>nothing</em> to his powerful fins! He jetted forward at Violet’s command, slicing through the clean waves like a hot razor towards the momentarily surprised Huntail. His Tackle landed before his foe could escape, knocking the serpent head-over-tail. Violet wasn’t finished yet. “Combo C, following up with evasive maneuvers!” she called, appraising and rejecting options at lightning speed. Indigo needed some time to rest. Mr. Fin could finish off this opponent!</p><p>Her speedy Magikarp arced upwards, angling down in a wide curve to gain momentum for his next Tackle, when the Huntail’s lure-shaped tail Sucker Punched his flank, slowing, but not stopping, the fantastic karp’s move. Mr. Fin immediately turned tail, zooming towards the surface with a gape-jawed Huntail streaming in his wake. The Magikarp crested the surface in a glittery spray, flopping on an island to safety. “Splash, Mr. Fin!” Violet called, grinning at the fun of it all! Her Magikarp slapped his tail down, springing high before the island could topple, landing perfectly on another island a distance aways. The Huntail chased, and the Magikarp flopped, always ahead of his tiring pursuer.</p><p>Finally, it was time. “Finish it with a flying Tackle! Code word, orange!”</p><p>“Huntail, Super Fang!” Misty responded, frowning but undeterred. “Meet them head-on!”</p><p>Mr. Fin fell from the air with gathering power, a fishy meteor sent to wipe out his foes, arcing straight towards the slick Huntail peering up above the surface. Disjointed jaws opened wide as his muscles coiled, ready to snatch the Magikarp from the sky before taking the hit…when all of a sudden, Mr. Fin whirled in midair, slapping the Huntail’s mouth closed with a crack of his tail!</p><p>With a whimpering keen, the Huntail sank below the surface. The crowd roared. “Just what was that combo?” the announcer gaped. “It looked like a Flail to me, folks. Switching moves with code words, using combo commands, and that incredible speed and dexterity! This Magikarp isn’t just beautiful, he’s trained like a pro! The most elite of Magikarps!”</p><p>Pride glowed in her heart. Mr. Fin was the best! She’d make sure the whole world knew it, too!</p><p>Mr. Fin burst in and out of the water, flipping enthusiastically as he bathed in fame and adoring cheers. A helpless smile broke across Misty’s face even as she returned her fallen Huntail. She selected her final luxury ball, releasing a midnight-purple Starmie to a floating island. Ethereal flames danced within the mysterious faceted ruby at its core.</p><p>“Swift, Starmie!”</p><p>“Return, Mr. Fin!” Violet said immediately, recalling her Magikarp after Starmie’s release per the gym rules. <em>First a Pokémon that walks on water, then an underwater battler, finishing with a swimming/land combo</em>. <em>Difficult for any single strategy to counter!</em> “Indigo, once more then!” She’d forgotten her nervousness somewhere along the way, forgotten everything, but the fight at hand and her opponent’s smirk.</p><p>Indigo shook his oversized ears free of water as he materialized, glaring at Misty the whole while. The Swift stars changed direction to hone in on him, shattering across his cream torso like shredded tinfoil; the not-very-effective cost of her switch. Violet’s mind whirled across possible move sets and counters, while a battle cry snarled between Indigo’s fangs as he leapt towards their foe.</p><p>“Alright, Starmie, it’s time for our ultimate combo! Whirlpool!” Misty commanded, voice echoing through the microphone as she lifted a finger to point to the stained-glass dome, her move mimicked by the Starmie’s wedge arm.</p><p>And the water began to <em>move</em>.</p><p>Whirling slowly at first around a dull crater in the center of the pool, but picking up speed until it engulfed the entire stage in a vortex of pulverizing white waters. In moments, the Whirlpool had transformed the harmless tank into a maelstrom of near-vertical walls dotted by helplessly spinning foam islands. Indigo held onto one such island for dear life, his legs in the air as his tight-fisted grip dented the heavy black foam. The bottom of the air twister at the core of the whirl snaked to the bottom of the tank, leaving a small circle of damp rock below. The Starmie balanced easily on a blue island, riding the spinning waves with ease.</p><p>Not good! Violet shielded her face from the cold misty spray with one arm, as Indigo managed to crawl up to all fours. His HP was already at a quarter thanks to Misty’s merciless strategies – even a few more weak blows would finish him. He couldn’t maneuver or aim properly until the Whirlpool subsided…assuming he could stay on his island at all! Three minutes ticked on the clock.</p><p>She let out a breath.</p><p>Gym Leaders fought on their own scale. She had to remember that.</p><p>Misty wasn’t finished yet. “Starmie, use Double Team, then blast him with Swift!”</p><p>Violet wasn’t about to be left behind. “Indigo, get to your feet, but keep your center of balance low! You can steer the island by leaning! Use your aura vision, find the real Starmie!” Her voice was loud enough to be heard despite the water’s roar, courtesy of her own small microphone.</p><p>Starmie broke into a dozen copies, each of which made <em>another</em> dozen copies, leaping off the islands into the Whirlpool while using Rapid Spin to whirl through the living wall of water like razor saws. Shimmering yellow stars spun in great rivers from Starmie’s ruby, and in moments deadly galaxies spun through the whirlpool, with Indigo at the center of it all. He stood carefully, one foot at a time, wobbling a bit as he used his outstretched arms to center himself.</p><p>Flurries of stars formed vast glittering rivers in the cerulean waters, all streaking towards Indigo with flawless accuracy. The Lucario gritted his teeth, crouched low as he figured out how to steer without falling. He leaned sharply left, forcing the Swift river to change course to chase him through the waves, then quickly right as stars nipped at his heels in the whirling vortex. Starmie twirled on every side like tops, shifting imposters that Indigo paid no mind to, each using constant Swifts to disguise the real body’s attacks. The Lucario slipped his eyes closed, a slow breath erasing the tension in his face.</p><p>With a burst the black aura sensors beneath his ears rose, defying gravity.</p><p>Envy rose in Violet’s heart despite the battle at hand. He’d described his incredible aura vision before, how it changed the world to light, emotion and energy. She could practically imagine the real Starmie glowing like a blue beacon amidst a quicksilver sea, while starry energy crackled and danced at Indigo’s heels.</p><p>No copy could fool those eyes!</p><p>Sure enough, Indigo whirled around the vortex’s walls in a blaze of radiant aura, dead focused on a single Starmie among dozens. The Swift river ate away large chunks of high-density foam behind him, searing and melting as they leapt hungrily for his legs. The audience quieted as one, the tension swelling as Indigo surfed closer and closer, firing Dark Pulses behind him with both arms to increase his speed with the boiling star-tide hot on his heels…</p><p>Just as the Swift chewed his island to chunks of melting foam, Indigo let out an aura-amplified shout, leaping forward with an outstretched Force Palm towards the one real Starmie amongst the sea of imposters. His Force Palm struck true, but he <em>grabbed</em> the Starmie in the same instant, throwing the Starmie behind him into the Swift river. Sparklers exploded into fireworks, little stars careening outwards with twirling tails, only to explode into hundreds of brilliant multi-colored light flares, lighting up the cyan whirlpool from within as the Starmie blasted towards the ceiling. Indigo had just enough time to slam his fists into a Protect before the explosions shattered against the clear bubble, rippling the surface like stones on a still pond.</p><p>The Whirlpool shuddered as the glass tank groaned beneath the pressure, all the water collapsing in on itself as one. Indigo’s Protect shattered, and he grabbed another island with one paw as the water roared back to place, bringing him safely to the surface high above. He dragged himself onto the swaying island, soaking wet from his toes to his dripping ears.</p><p>Finally, the Starmie fell like a meteor, hitting an island in an unconscious daze.</p><p>“She’s done it!” the announcer howled, nearly drowned out by the thundering crowd. “Violet Hikari takes the match! She’s won her Cascade Badge! <em>What</em> a battle!” Indigo raised his fist into the air with a howl, and the audience’s cheer became a physical wall of sound.</p><p>Reality crashed over her in a cold wave, bringing her back to earth. It was over. Violet stared, her cheeks flushed pink beneath bright eyes, hardly able to believe it as the adrenaline faded from her veins and left her human again.</p><p>Misty recalled her Starmie with a rueful smile. She walked fearlessly around the slick pathway encircling the high tank’s rim until she stood at Violet’s side, and held out her hand. After a beat, Violet realized why, taking her hand into her own. The gym leader’s handshake was warm and firm as she met Violet’s eyes as an equal. “It takes some doing to beat my all-out offensive strategies. I’ll admit you’re skilled. You did great! You and your Pokémon!”</p><p>The thunderous applause finally died down, and Misty stepped forward, lifting Violet’s hand high into the air. “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the newest conqueror of Cerulean Gym!”</p><p>~o~</p><p>Hours later, long after the pageant had officially come to a close, Violet sat alone in the performer’s lounge hall. She kicked her heels with a hum on her smiling lips, perched on a green velvet divan strewn with cushy pillows. A burbling indoor fountain crafted entirely of mint-green sea glass was the centerpiece for the lounge hall, beneath a chandelier dripping with crystal icicles. Mr. Fin splashed in the fountain, practicing his jumps now that he finally had the space to himself.</p><p>Cerulean Gym was a performance venue first, though it also housed world-famous aquariums, and a classic gym battle area. Even this room, which was used by performers to unwind, was glamorous. Veined white marble tiled the floor, and polished milky-quartz pillars soared to the domed ceiling, interspersed with soft white lights ringed in gold. Framed pictures cut across one wall, showcasing past winners of a dozen different events, spanning decades. Among them was a faded photograph of a six-year-old Misty, her orange hair rebellious over a gap-toothed grin; the proud winner of the Junior Aquatic Chariot Race. Violet wondered if her Staryu was the same Starmie she’d faced today, or a descendant.</p><p>She browsed the pictures, killing time. Misty had tracked her down as soon as the pageant ended, and asked her to stick around. “<em>Just trust me</em>!” she’d said rather than explain. She’d spoken with Lila Hanada for a time, thanking her for her help and returning her clothes, but everyone was long gone, now. She’d been the last person around for an hour, now.</p><p>Violet sat on the couch again with a gusty sigh. She pulled out her badge case yet again, admiring the liquid shine of the blue metal raindrop. Her smile turned soft as she ran her dainty fingers over the Cascade Badge. <em>Two down. Danny…I-</em></p><p>“How long are you planning on staring at that for?” Indigo asked dryly, returning from his sandwich run. “I only ask so I can plan my schedule accordingly. I’m afraid I don’t already have ‘stare at an inanimate object for hours on end’ written in.”</p><p>“I can quit whenever I want to,” she informed him, taking a moment longer to admire her badge. Her mood shifted as her smile faded, and she took a moment to put her words together. “Indigo, I…I <em>never</em> would have done this without you. Such a public gym battle is just…but I had fun! Truly. So thank you. From the bottom of my heart.”</p><p>“I am quite fantastic,” Indigo agreed, taking a seat beside her. He handed her a sandwich. “Although,” he continued sulkily, frowning at Mr. Fin preening in the lukewarm water. “<em>I</em> didn’t get any prizes.” An orange rosette centered with a ruby scale adorned the Magikarp’s head, trailing two tan braids like barbell whiskers. White lace crested above the silk, starched into a fanned white tail.</p><p>Violet beamed at the reminder, taking a break from staring at her badge to admire Mr. Fin instead. “That is <em>not</em> an improvement,” Indigo grumbled, but she paid him no mind.</p><p>During the Beauty of the Deep award ceremony, Mr. Fin had been presented with the ‘Most Beautiful Magikarp’ ribbon. Indigo was less than amused. “Isn’t it <em>beautiful</em>?” Violet sighed. “No one told me a word! But I’m sure the committee has been planning this since they offered me the halftime battle. Mr. Fin did fight hard to help Misty after all. And he really is the most beautiful Magikarp in history.”</p><p>“I helped also. And yet, I do not possess an overly fancy ribbon. Which is not at all cool.”</p><p>Violet thought about it, and placed her hair ribbon on Indigo’s head. She knighted him with her pointer finger, grinning at his dry glare which didn’t quite mask his amusement. “I dub thee Sir Indigo, with the title: best talking Lucario from the past…probably!”</p><p>“I’m flattered. There must have been hundreds of applicants for that award,” he said with mock seriousness, not entirely displeased.</p><p>“It was very close,” Violet agreed solemnly. “I almost went with another Lucario, but you came out ahead. I offer my sincere congratulations.” Her face fell, and at once she looked at the floor.</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>Violet bit her lip, her heart twisting. “I just…I kind of <em>miss</em> the Ditto, you know?” Joining a trainer was a big decision, and the Ditto needed time to think about what it wanted, and what it could offer her…but <em>still</em>. “I keep hoping it will show up again out of the blue with some crazy prank and those incredible battle instincts, so we can get to know each other better. Don’t you think that’d be just great?”</p><p>“No,” Indigo deadpanned flatly with no hesitation. “And now you’ve jinxed us. Look at what you’ve done.”</p><p>“That’s ridiculous!” Violet protested. She pursed her lips. “Well…probably, anyways. I don’t think it will be so soon.”</p><p>The door clicked, and both of them turned.</p><p>A well-built man strode into the room with an aura of strength and pride, dressed in a well-fitting blue uniform lined with orange. His spiked scarlet hair matched the hems of the dark cape rippling down his back like water. The mystery man caught sight of Indigo and Violet, his topaz eyes flashing with recognition. He raised a gloved hand in greeting, but before he could actually speak, Indigo beat him to it.</p><p>“<em>You</em>!” the Lucario snarled, eyes blazing as he bolted to his feet, diving in a reckless full-body tackle towards Lance the Dragon Master, Champion of Kanto.</p><p>A Dragonite slammed Indigo’s head to the ground in a flash, baring his fangs as a bass growl rumbled deep in his throat. The Lucario froze beneath the dragon’s claws, holding perfectly still as hot breath gusted against his fur.</p><p>Lance stood straighter, arching an eyebrow, and Violet rushed forward, nearly tripping as she rushed to apologize. “Sorry! Sorry, he mistook you for…someone…else…” she straightened, her words dying off as she realized who she was talking to. “<em>Hello</em>,” she breathed numbly, her eyes impossibly huge. Gravity spun beneath her as the blood drained out of her face. Violet was only half sure her heart was still beating at all.</p><p>“Perhaps we should sit down,” the Champion suggested mildly. “We have much to discuss.” He strode forward, making a quick two-fingered gesture to his Dragonite as his cape billowed behind him. The behemoth released Indigo, but stared at him with unrelenting suspicion, as if prepared to remove his head at the slightest provocation.</p><p>Indigo and Violet looked at each other. And moved to obey.</p><p>The Champion walked straight to the small dining area by the beverage station. He didn’t turn back even once to see if they followed, his course steady and unhurried. He took a seat as Violet reached him and crossed his arms, staring at the shell-shocked girl before him with an unfathomable expression.</p><p>“What exactly is this about?” Indigo asked warily, standing behind Violet as she sat across from the Champion, crossing his arms obstinately. He didn’t sit, opting instead to stand in judgement of this new stranger, not nearly as easy to win over as she was. “And who on earth <em>are</em> you?”</p><p>If Lance was surprised to hear Indigo speak, he didn’t show it. “My name is Lance, current Champion of both the Johto and Kanto regions. I specialize in dragons, the most powerful and indestructible Pokémon who walk this earth. You must be Indigo. I’ve heard much about you and your trainer these past weeks. I felt it was high time for a face-to-face meeting.”</p><p>“What for?” Indigo interrogated with narrowed eyes, though his stance shifted as he recognized the man’s authority. Violet sat frozen and mute, like an unmoving doll in a pretty dress. He continued, refusing to be impressed. “You should be looking for Karo Asuna.”</p><p>“The Elite Four are more than equal to the task,” Lance responded, unruffled by the Lucario’s attitude. “Though I’ll be joining them again shortly.” He paused, shifting an object in the crook of his arm carefully; neither of them had noticed it before. The mysterious thing was covered in a deep-blue shroud, similar in color to the Champion’s uniform. Lance twirled another cloth into a thick rope and tied it in a circle, placing the object carefully in the makeshift nest.</p><p>“We had planned to thank the both of you anyways, after exposing a serial murderer who was deep within our justice system. All the members of the Elite Four contributed some useful items, taking into account your status as a rookie trainer. They should serve you well on your journey to come.”</p><p>He handed Violet a silver TM case, and a small red bag with many pockets. “The case contains four TM’s from each member of the Elite Four, including myself. We chose our favorites, so expect bias! That travel case contains a variety of held items, and specialty poké balls from around the world. We hope you’ll find them useful going forward. On behalf of the League…no, of the entire region, we thank the two of you for your bravery and sacrifice in dealing with a dangerous and unstable killer. Truly, we’re in your debt.”</p><p>“T-Thank you,” Violet stuttered, finding her voice as she bowed her head hurriedly. “I-It wasn’t really anything I did, Indigo was the brave one, and Terry too...”</p><p>“My trainer is too modest, since it was her brilliant strategy which exposed Karo in the first place,” Indigo cut in easily, glaring at her from the side. “And her idiotic bravery which convinced a complete outsider like me to intervene at all. Your gifts are well deserved, even if Violet does not comprehend her own value. She is nothing short of brilliant. I saw it in Cerulean Cave, over and over again. You would do well to train hard, Champion, since the two of us will surpass even you someday.”</p><p>“I-Indigo!” Violet protested, blushing tomato red at such unbridled praise. Indigo had relaxed a little, seeming mollified by the Champion’s recognition of her abilities.</p><p>“Which brings us to our second order of business.” Lance steepled his long fingers, his expression impossible to read. “Cerulean Cave. It is without the slightest doubt one of the most dangerous places on earth. I’ll be blunt, Violet, Indigo – you two should have died. The fact that you didn’t is an absolute testament to your tactical skill and knowledge. It is my belief that you deserve this, as well…”</p><p>The Champion tugged the silky shroud until it pooled on the table like water, revealing a jet-blue egg. Two thick periwinkle stripes encircled both ends of the satiny shell, while a striking yellow blaze shaped like a many-pointed star adorned the top of the egg. It hummed ever so faintly, a physical presence in the room, and Violet stared, unable to tear her eyes away.</p><p>Lance spoke. “This hatchling will be powerful and strong willed, as is the nature of the ever-obstinate dragon type. It is fortunate dragons are both hard to find, and raise, since few trainers are up to the task of commanding them, and fewer still possess the self-control needed to use their strength wisely. That being said, should you manage to earn its respect, there will be no superior ally in battle…nor a more dependable friend. Violet Hikari, I believe you are up to the challenge of raising this dragonet well. I took personal responsibility in breeding this egg for battle; raise it well, young trainer.”</p><p>“I…” Words failed her, and Violet caught her breath, overcome all at once. Tears welled in her purple eyes. “I will. Thank you, sir. I’ll definitely raise it properly!”</p><p>“I expect nothing less,” Lance said, smiling faintly. He covered the leathery egg once more with the royal blue shroud, specially made to trap heat. “Finding a young rookie with the potential to be a dragon tamer is rare. I’ve caught word of another girl in Kanto who’s been training dragons particularly well. Perhaps your paths will cross in your journey. In the meantime, I sincerely wish you the best.”</p><p>Indigo was skeptical. “This seems like over-the-top bribery to make us forget we almost died in your secret death cave,” he observed.</p><p>“Consider it a thank you. You two managed to pique Red’s interest as well. He didn’t explain, but insisted I pass this along as well.” The Champion produced his final gift - an elegant necklace with a long silver chain, a single circular pendant serving as decoration. The celeste-blue gemstone danced with silver-grey light, ethereal flames trapped in glittering crystal.</p><p>To both of their surprise, Lance held out the necklace to Indigo. “For you,” he said, ignoring their confusion. “Red was very clear this was meant for your hands. I’m sure its purpose will become clear with time. And while I’ve enjoyed our chat, I’m afraid it’s time I took my leave.”</p><p>Violet stood, hurriedly offering another thanks, her awestruck gratitude knowing no bounds, while Indigo peered at the girly necklace he’d been given with obvious skepticism. Lance rose to stand by his Dragonite. The Champion of Kanto held out a hand for Violet to shake, and approval tightened his expression at the strength of her grip.</p><p>“If there’s anything you need, feel free to ask,” Lance said, meeting her eyes squarely. “You saved countless individuals who would have been Karo’s future victims. Those people will live on with their families and friends, never knowing the fate you saved them from. On behalf of all the children who could have been orphaned, the wives who would be widows, and the loved ones who will not have to bury their friends, I thank you, Violet Hikari, and Indigo. For your sacrifice, your bravery, and all the pain you both endured, thank you both. It was not in vain.”</p><p>The Champion turned to leave, his cape snapping around him at his purposeful stride, Dragonite hovering behind him like a shadow. “Um,” Violet called out, her eyes lighting up as she remembered something. Lance turned his head in acknowledgement.</p><p>She flushed, hands clenched in the voluminous fabric of her white skirt, her demeanor heartfelt and serious. “T-There is one thing…”</p><p>~o~</p><p>Lance padded through utter darkness, his boots scraping against the ground with each echoing step. He walked alone, without a single Pokémon by his side, and yet, the creatures in the dark did not strike, hanging back in huddled groups. He could sense their presence, could see the occasional white gleaming of ferocious eyes, but paid them no mind. Nothing here dared to harm the man known as the Shadow of Dragons.</p><p>He stopped, tossing an ultra ball into the heavy blackness. A golden flash burst in a star above his head, and a blue dragon soared with near-supersonic speeds around the cavern, lighting atavistic torches with searing breath, wind howling in his wake. The dragon landed powerfully by his master, cracking the stone as he bared white fangs, embers shining deep in his throat.</p><p>The cavern revealed in the light was huge; high ceilings hung thick with heavy roots, which crept down the walls and across the floor. Carvings decorated the black stone walls, a history as shown by the inhabitants of the cave, depicting grand battles and valiant feats of bravery. The newest of the carvings depicted a girl and her Lucario, facing off against a horrific Arbok, whose eyes were colored in with real blood that dripped down the stone, and later, that same Arbok fleeing the cavern while chased by hundreds of creatures.</p><p>The silence in the cavern was nearly tangible, as the inhabitants waited with pounding hearts for his next move. Lance sighed, running his fingers through his spiked hair, and set a large stack of thin boxes on the ground. He flipped open the top box with one finger, and the delicious scent of hot pepperoni pizza filled the cavern. “Enjoy,” he said simply, turning as he walked away.</p><p>The cavern exploded with raucous cheering as Primeape spilled out of hiding by the hundreds, from nooks and crannies he hadn’t known existed, pounding their fists against their chests as they howled. Lance saw two Primeape with tears streaming down their faces embrace each other, looking at the pizza with rapture. Primeape who already had slices in their paws danced in circles around the precious boxes, chanting exuberantly, practically in tears themselves.</p><p>Lance made a mental note to have a talk with Bruno about sharing food with wild Pokémon as he left the cavern, unbothered by the partying Primeape, some of whom had started a conga line. And on the far wall, they had already begun carving a new monument, depicting a larger-than-life Violet with her hands stretched over her head, a great shining slice of pizza hovering above her palms, as Primeape cheered around her ankles.</p><p>~o~</p>
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